Te Ao Māori at Waitohu
Our school sits within the mana whenua of Ngāti Raukawa.
Raukawatanga, as expressed through the below ngā mātāpono of Ngāti Raukawa, is woven into all our school days.
Te Reo Māori | Māori language
Use of te reo Māori is spoken throughout the day. When greeting, complimenting, reminding, giving instructions, asking or answering questions teachers use te reo to the capacity they have. We have several staff who are fluent speakers and all teachers are growing in their te reo Māori capacity.
Each class begins their school day sharing our school Tuku Mihi. Prior to eating our kai all students share our school mihi mo te kai to bring gratitude for the food we have. At the end of their school day all students share our school mihi whakakapi to bring appreciation for what we have experienced, and to wish each other well. Waiata are enjoyed in so many contexts - within class, during assemblies, when raising or lowering our flag for special occasions, within kapa haka, on bus or van trips to different activities. It is our hope that through authentic and regular use of te reo Māori students will enjoy and desire to become ongoing learners of te reo.
Manaakitanga | generosity
Manaakitanga is at the heart of ‘To Be - Valuing and nurturing individuals to be themselves’. That is showing kindness, patience and generosity to ourselves and to all those we meet. To support and remind us of this, students begin each school day, and teachers each school meeting, sharing our Tuku Mihi. These words (displayed on our school hall) encourage us to seek peace within ourselves and to share peace towards each other. At the start of each term, as one expression of manaakitanga, we welcome new students, whānau and staff with a whole school pōwhiri. Students are fully involved in our pōwhiri as kaikaranga, speakers on the paepae, haka pōwhiri and waiata. Our pōwhiri are always special moments within our school year. Beyond our welcome, through our words and actions, manaakitanga is the daily pursuit of us all at Waitohu.
Kotahitanga | unity
Kotahitanga points us to inclusivity and equity. This is at the heart of ‘Our Best - In all things there are many forms of best. As individuals and as a community we always strive to be our best.’ Best looks different for different students. Kotahitanga invites us to grow a culture of making spaces and opportunities for ‘all’ to succeed. We are very proud of the way we have high standards for everyone and the many ways we support students to be their best. For some this means doing things differently and with additional support to enable them to be included and succeed.
Kaitiakitanga | guardianship
Kaitiakitanga encourages the protection of knowledge, people and places.
This means providing the very best learning opportunities through teachers continually growing their knowledge, enabling students to do likewise.
Caring for people (manaakitanga) and having supports in place for when things are hard. This means staff, students and whānau having clear understandings of how, who and where they can get support, if needed.
Physically looking after the places we have here at Waitohu and beyond. Students care for our maara kai (school gardens), actively and regularly monitor the wellbeing of Waitohu Awa (by measuring water quality and checking for the presence of invertebrate life) and visit different parts of of te taiao (nature) to learn about and understand how to care for and protect these natural environments.
Pūkengatanga | pursuing knowledge
Pūkengatanga is the core business of Waitohu. Enabling students to pursue knowledge in literacy and numeracy alongside social, physical and artistic expression are what we do. Staff being fully committed to, and having expertise in their craft of teaching, underpins this. Having developmentally appropriate programmes (play based learning in early years, structured literacy and numeracy programmes, technology supported opportunities, tikanga Māori, art gallery, Waitohu’s Got Talent, neuroscience and Choice Theory, sport teams and activities, nature visits …..) is the key.
Whanaungatanga | emphasising relationships
Relationships determine the culture and feel of Waitohu. Our Tuku Mihi shared each morning sets our intention of having positive and peaceful relationships. Our ‘Whanaungatanga Evening’, ‘Fireworks Extravaganza’, class trips, Year 6 camp, Year 5 Kāpiti Island visit, sports teams, cross country, duathlon, choir festival, kapa haka festival, art gallery, ………. are all moments when our wider Waitohu whānau come together. Our Matariki Hāngī Disco Day is a highlight on the school calendar. Students prepare a hāngī, dig a hāngī pit, watch the kai go into and then later come out of the ground. Every student gets to taste, experience and enjoy the hāngī. On this same day we have a disco to bring extra celebration to Matariki. The Matariki constellation, woven by students, sit high within our school hall, to mark this special time of year.
Ūkaipōtanga | belonging to a place of importance
Ūkaipōtanga has strong emphasis within Waitohu. All students learn their own pepeha (places and people of origin and personal significance) to acknowledge and celebrate who they are, and where they are from. Our artistic Hall Panels depict the many peoples and places people have come from to be here at Waitohu. Particular emphasis is given to the place of Ōtaki with Kāpiti Island, Raukawa Marae wharenui, Rangiātea Church, Tararua Ranges, bird life, rivers and sea all depicted. Alongside these is a large stylized map of Aotearoa New Zealand with our school koru positioned at Ōtaki. A globe of the world sits above Aotearoa. The sense of pride of where your people have come from and pride in being part of Ōtaki underpins these Hall Panels.
Wairuatanga | spirituality
Wairuatanga finds expression within our Mauri koru. There is recognition that each of us has a unique mauri (life force). Each year all students reflect upon their pepeha, passions and dreams. Being aware of who they are connected to and what their motivations are, is important. While acknowledging a life force within us and beyond us, we recognise our role is to promote respect for the differing beliefs people hold regarding spirituality.
Rangatiratanga | leadership
Rangatiratanga is initially focussed upon personal responsibility, by being the rangatira of our own words and actions. Our use of Choice Theory explicitly teaches this. Tuakana (older) teina (younger) relationships are also fostered within, beyond and through our classes. Those with greater skill, more experience are encouraged and appreciated when support is shown to others. Within classes specific and shared leadership opportunities are given. Roles within sports teams, kapa haka, monitors of the PE Shed, hat collectors, leading assembly, being a school patroller ……. all enable opportunities to show commitment, courage, service and aroha to others - being a rangatira. Our Inspiration Wall is made up of people who are rangatira in their areas of pursuit. These inspiring rangatira are celebrated within our regular assemblies.
Whakapapa | connecting people to the land
Whakapapa and ūkaipōtanga connect us to place. Through learning pepeha, places of origin are celebrated. We have many students with multiple places of origin that they are connected to. As a school we come together on each national day of the countries our students have connection to. We raise the flag of that country and acknowledge how great it is to have these students, with connection to that particular country, at Waitohu. Each year, as a school, we aim to visit a marae (Raukawa marae, Katihiku marae, Te Pou o Tainui marae) or another special place (Rangiātea Church, Pukekaraka, Te Wānanga o Raukawa) that are within Ōtaki. We want our students to know about, be proud of and connected to these special places.
Our aim for everyone to be at peace in who they are and where they come from. For Māori and Pakeha to be at ease in the spaces of te ao Māori that we are so fortunate to have in such abundance, here in Ōtaki and across Aotearoa.