Kūmara Harvest Waimā

We are excited to celebrate the growing reach Te Aho Tū Roa is establishing in Tamaki Makaurau. Here, Poutautoko Pania Newton reports on 3 days spent at Tuhirangi Marae in Waimā with Pāpā Rereata, learning about tikanga around how to harvest kūmara.

Pakuranga Baptist Kindergarden me ngā kaimahi nō Puhinui Kōhanga Reo

Outcomes:

  • We harvested a tonne of kumara from the maara, which we distributed to local marae, whānau and the hāpori.
  • Collaborated with NKOI, WWCT, TPNM.
  • Intergenerational knowledge transfer.
  • Mahi ngātahi, tuakana me te teina.
  • I wānanga i ngā kōrero tuku iho mō te kūmara.
  • 50 people engaged in the kaupapa from kaumātua to our pēpi nohinohi.

Mahia te Mahi Hei Painga mo te Iwi

The highlight for this wāhanga was working closely with Te Kohanga Reo ki Puhinui on their aspirations to incorporate more kaitiakitanga practices within the kohanga reo. Over the wahanga we held 5 wananga:

  • Haerenga ki Food Hub
  • Matariki Haerenga
  • Haerenga ki Pakuranga Baptist Kindy – Sustainability workshop
  • Mātua wananga

The trips were especially transformational because the kaimahi could actually see in practice what other organisations and kindergartens were doing to reduce their waste and teach tamariki about making kai, pest management, and planting. On one of our haerenga to a kindergarten everyone was moved and some were emotional, one of the kaimahi shared the following quote:

“This is what i always envisioned our Kohanga to be like” – Kaimahi

Since working with the Kohanga they have incorporated a worm bath, food digester, matariki garden, underwent three haerenga to see examples of kaitiakitanga in action, and are moving towards their kope-free goal.

Maara Hupara and Kēmu Māori: “Learning and playing the games made me feel connected to the whenua and our tupuna who were so resourceful” – Petera (17years)

Holding the vision of Te Aho Tū Roa and Enviroschools