Iwi: Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Tainui, Ngāti Kahungunu

Kia ora, ko Leila Davis tōku ingoa. I am a Year 12 rangatahi at Rangitoto College of Māori and European descent. Being at Rangi has presented endless opportunities that make my experience here full of meaning and joy. Whether you’re interested in culture, sports, the arts, or anything in between, I believe there is something for everyone at Rangitoto College.

During my time here, I have found joy being involved with Māori kaupapa. In Year 10, I was given the privilege of being a part of Tū Rangatira. It has enabled me to increase my understanding of tikanga and it has brought forth many experiences that I cherish. Year 10 was also the year that I began to immerse myself in Kapa Haka. Long hours of practice have taught me what dedication is and what it means to take responsibility for your role within a group. Kapa Haka has also allowed me to draw closer to my Māori culture and learn how to tell stories and express different emotions through ways such as voice, actions, movement, and through the use of poi and traditional weaponry such as patu. The climax of our campaign would be to compete at Te Ahurea Tino Rangatira, which is what I hope to continue with this year.

From Year 11, I have involved myself with the Māori Leadership Team. We help with events such as Whānau Hui which are held each term. These Whānau Hui allow us to showcase what we’re doing within our Māori spaces at school with our whānau. Another significant aspect of Tū Rangatira is the Wānanga Series. These are awesome trips to places such as the Navy Marae in Devonport, or just recently, to Rotorua. These trips let us apply the tikanga we learn in tutor class, to real life situations at marae and simply enjoy being Māori. I am grateful for the kaiako that continue to provide my peers and I many opportunities to learn and grow in this space, as they deeply enrich our learning of Te Ao Māori.

Another aspect of kaupapa Māori that I have enjoyed at kura is hākinakina, or sport. In Year 11, I competed alongside some Tū Rangatira students at a Ki-o-rahi tournament, and this year we competed at a Waka Ama regatta. Engaging in Te Ao Māori through sports has been an awesome experience and I hope to continue this in the future. I have also involved myself in other sports such as Netball, Touch Rugby and in my junior years, Cross Country. Sports enable me to be competitive and have fun while getting some exercise done. It also allows me to form lasting connections with those around me. The sport I enjoy playing the most is Touch Rugby. Its fast-paced nature comes with a very thrilling adrenaline rush and I love it!

This year, I have been privileged to be accepted into one of the school’s premier choral groups – Serenata, and I have committed to follow through. Being in choir has enhanced my understanding of how to sing in various languages with accuracy, when to emphasize specific words and vowels, and how to start and finish notes at the same time to create a unified sound just to name a few. I really do love singing and have loved creating beautiful harmonies with the choir and I hope we do well at Big Sing Regionals.

Being at Rangitoto College so far has been a journey full of many challenges but among them, many great and memorable experiences. Th e staff here help students and offer support that allows them to thrive and gain personal excellence. The opportunities here are numerous, and by taking them I can grow and reach my full potential.