BACKOur Pīpīwhararauroa Festival connects all learners throughout the Mid Bays Kāhui Ako as we journey through mātauranga Māori across many areas of the curriculum: kapa haka, te reo, species ecology, art, commerce, community, whanaungatanga, and maramataka. Kapa haka and cultural performances are featured at the final festival to celebrate the journey of learning. The theme this year was Whenua, and the many learning experiences were connected to the pīpīwharauroa through the kūmara. Kūmara themed artworks on display in the Rangitoto Centre, especially the superhero kūmara, were a hit with all visitors!
This year our activity marquees saw Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum staff and our own whakairo students, under the guidance of Matua Mark Terei and Neil Sorenson, offer interactive experiences connected to the mātauranga of Whenua. This year, 12 groups from our local community and our local early childhood centres performed on stage, with many more joining the eclectic atmosphere, exploring Rangitoto College Year 10 commerce stalls and the experiences they had on offer. We look forward to the third festival in the tri-annual cycle on 25 March 2024—a twilight festival under the full moon!
