BACKThis term, Rangitoto College’s Te Ao Haka students had the opportunity to engage in powerful learning of Te Ao Māori through a visit to the Auckland War Memorial Museum as well as hands-on workshops that helped students to connect to ourselves and our culture on a level we have yet to experience.
At the Auckland Museum, students experienced Te whānau Āio, an activation using traditional aspects of weaponry, taonga and wairua cleansing. It not only helped to educate those who were unfamiliar with tikanga Māori (Māori customs and protocols), but also fostered a deeper connection among students, linking individual identities to tupuna (ancestors). Maddi Cooper-Wiki described it as connecting “us to ourselves and our tupuna on a new level. We were also given other opportunities for learning through Whaea Tiana’s Tī Rākau workshops ( Hei Koha Limited) where we were taught the skill of being able to connect our wairua to our taonga by learning movements and connections through a contemporary lens which Whaea Tiana brought to us.” Though challenging at first, students described the experience as “transformative” and said it helped them move with confidence, coordination, and pride. Further hands-on learning came from working with Karena and Milly of the Turongo Collective whānau. Students are encouraged to push past their comfort zones and express themselves physically and emotionally. These experiences encouraged students to push past their comfort zones, fostering physical and emotional expression. They learned to connect on a deeper level, exploring the struggles and feelings that link them to everything around them: people, ancestors, taonga, and themselves. Ultimately, these experiences significantly enhanced students’ skills, identity, connection, and cultural understanding.
