TKKM o Tamaki Nui A Rua

Te Horopaki o te Rangahau 

E tū ana Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tāmaki nui a Rua ki te tāone o Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua, ki te taha o te marae o Mākirikiri, i whakairohia ai i te tau 1888. He tino wāhi whakaako, wāhi ako hoki te marae. E whakarato ana te kura i te mātauranga rumaki reo Māori e whakapūmau ana i ngā tikanga whakaaro o Te Aho Matua, mō ngā ākonga o ngā tau 1 ki te 13. 

Ko Te Aho Matua te tikanga whakaaro e ārahi ana, e whakaaweawe ana hoki i te mātauranga me te whai oranga o te katoa. E ū ana ngā kura ki te whakatutuki i ngā uara ake me ngā whakapono ake o Te Aho Matua, e meatia ana, ko:

• Te Tino Uaratanga – ko te whānuitanga o ngā wawata me ngā painga mō ngā ākonga.
• Te Ira Tangata – kia whakawhanake te ākonga i tōna oranga ā-tinana, ā-wairua, ā-hinengaro hoki, i tōna mōhio ki tōna mana āhua ake, ā, i te mātau, i te whakaute hoki ki a ia anō, ki ētahi atu
• Te Reo Māori - kia mātau te ākonga ki te whakaaro, ki te kōrero, ki te pānui, me te tuhi i roto i te reo Māori me te reo Tauiwi 
• Ngā Iwi - kia mau tūhonohono te here o te ihomatua o te ākonga ki ōna mātua tūpuna, ā, ki ngā tūmanako me ngā wawata hoki o te whānau, o te hapū, me te iwi
• Te Ao - kia mōhio te ākonga ki ngā tirohanga moroki me ngā tirohanga tuku iho o te ao Māori, o te ao whānui, o te ao tūroa, o tōna nā ao tonu
• Āhuatanga Ako - E whakaihiihia ana te hinengaro o te ākonga ki tētahi taiao e āta poipoi ana i te ako. 

Ko Rangitāne te iwi, ā, he tokomaha ngā whānau o te kura nō tēnei rohe. Ka ako ngā ākonga i te reo o Rangitāne, i ngā kōrero tuku iho e noho whakahirahira ana, ā, i ngā whakapono me ngā tikanga hoki. 

Ngā Kitenga

Ngā akoranga i puta mai ai i te tau 2020

I tau ki ngā rōpū ārahi o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tāmaki nui a Rua ngā tino akoranga i te tau 2020, ā, he tino tirohanga ērā mō te tau 2021. Ko tētahi tino whakataunga i pupū ake ai, e meatia ana, ahakoa he mea nui te taha mātauranga, me aro kē atu ki te waiora o ngā whānau. I tahuri ki te aro atu ki te waiora torowhānui o te katoa. 

“Akoranga matua ko te oranga, he nui ngā akoranga mō te oranga o te tangata... I huri ki te mauri o te ākonga, ki te wairua, ki te āhua, ki ngā mea kāre e taea te ine...” – te reo o te Tumuaki  

Ko te aronga nui, ko te āta whakarite i te haumaru me te hauora o te taiao i te kāinga, i te wā o te nohonga rāhui. I tau te māramatanga ki te rōpū ārahi, ko tā rātou mahi he hāpai i ngā ākonga mā te mahi tahi me ō rātou whānau. Mā ngā hononga ki a Ngāti Kahungunu me Rangitāne, ka whai wāhi atu ki ngā pātuitanga whānui, me te tautoko o ngā umanga ā-iwi me ngā ratonga hapori. 

“Kei pōhēhē kei konei te oranga o te tamaiti. Te rama nui, ngā pou o ngā whare e noho nei wā mātau tamariki” – te reo o te Tumuaki 

“Ko te mauri o te whare te ora rānei, te mate rānei kei ngā ringaringa o ngā kaitiaki” – te reo o te Tumuaki 

I tautuhia e te tumuaki, ko te whakawhitiwhiti kōrero tētahi āhuatanga matua e āta whakatau ai i te whai māramatanga o ngā whānau. I whakaritea tētahi pokapū whakawhitiwhiti kōrero, hei whakamōhio atu i ngā whānau i ia te wā. Ko te kotahitanga me te mahi ngātahi i kitea hei āhuatanga e whai wāhi matua ana kia tautokona te hapori katoa. 

“I roto i te raruraru i kitea te rongoā i te whakakotahi i a mātou anō i roto i te wā poto” – te reo o te Tumuaki 

Ngā tūranga me ngā kawenga

Ka aro nui ngā kaimahi i roto i ā rātou mahi. I poipoi rātou i ngā matea o ā rātou ākonga. I waea atu ngā kaimahi ki ngā ākonga i ia rā, hei manaaki oranga. I waihanga hoki rātou i ngā wheako whakahoahoa ā-ipurangi e ngahau ana, e whakahihiri ana hoki i ngā ākonga me ngā whānau. 

“Ko ngā tohutohu i tukuna ki ngā kaiako kia aro ki te oranga o te tamaiti kia noho tau, harikoa.” – te reo o te Tumuaki 

I toro atu te whānau whakahaere me te tumuaki ki te tautoko o ngā ratonga hauora me ngā ratonga pāpori. Ka taea e ngā kaimahi me ngā whānau te whakapā atu ngā ratonga e hāpai ana i te kai, te pūtea, me te hononga ā-ipurangi, ā, he tino ringa āwhina tēnei ki ngā tāngata tokomaha. Nō mua noa atu te rōpū ārahi i kite ai i te whai pānga nui o ngā whānau ki te tautoko i te ako a ngā ākonga, nō reira, he mea nui ki a rātou te whakakore atu i ērā o ngā tauārai e taea ana, hei āta hāpai ake i te taha ako. 

“I noho ko te whānau hei kaiako, ko ngā mātua, ngā tangata o te whare hei pou whakaako” – te reo o te Tumuaki

Ngā whakawhitinga

Hei whakariterite mō te hokinga mai o ngā tamariki ki te kura, ko te aronga nui, ko te whakatakoto i tētahi mahere kia mauritau, kia mārie hoki ngā whakawhitinga, ā, kia kore ai e pā te mānukanuka ki ētahi. I para ngā kaimahi i te huarahi, nā te hoki mai tahirā mai i mua i ngā ākonga, ki te karakia, me te whakarite i ngā taiao – ā-kikokiko, ā-wairua hoki – mō te hokinga mai o ngā ākonga. 

“I te hokinga mai ki te kura, ko te whāinga matua ko te tau o te mauri o ngā tamariki ki te wāhi nei.” – te reo o te Tumuaki 

Ko tā te hōtaka akoranga i whai ai, kia ngāwari te whakawhitinga, mā te arotahi ki te oranga ā-wairua, ā-hinengaro hoki o te katoa. I whakamahere ngā kaiako i ngā taumahi ka mamahu, ka whakatau hoki i ngā ākonga. Engari, i te āhua uaua hoki taua tūāhuatanga nā te noho taratahi tonu. 

“I kotahi anō mātau ngā kaimahi me ngā kaihoe o te kaupapa hōtaka hāngai katoa ki te wairua, ki te hinengaro, te tau o te tamaiti.” – te reo o te Tumuaki 

Te waiora

Ko te oranga o te tangata te aronga matua o te kura. Ko te mauri o te whare, ko te kaitiaki hoki i kitea hei tino āhuatanga matua ka hāpai i te waiora o ngā ākonga. 

“Tautoko i ngā tamariki mā te whakapakari i ngā pou o ngā whare” – te reo o te Tumuaki 

Ki tā te rōpū ārahi titiro, he mea nui ngā hononga e whai pūtake ana, me te whai pānga nui o ēnā ki te waiora. I whakatū te kura i tētahi karapu whakahoahoa, hei whakapūmau i ngā hononga, ā, ka āta kitea mā te mahi ngātahi, ka puta ngā rongoā. 

“I kite i te rongoā o te noho tahi, te kotahitanga.” – te reo o te Tumuaki 

E ai ki te tumuaki, ko tana mahi, he whai whakaaro ki te pānga ki te hapori whānui tonu o te kura, tae atu ki ngā ākonga, ngā tamariki, ngā kaimahi, ngā whānau, me te hapori whānui. I whai hua te tautoko i whiwhi ia, mai i te kaitohutohu matua o te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, me Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa. 

“Ko tētahi mea nui ko te kore mōhio, me huri ki whea, ki a wai? I te mutunga me kimi i ngā kōrero e tika ai taku whakatau” – te reo o te Tumuaki

Ngā kitenga me ngā āheinga anamata

Ki tā te tumuaki, he uaua ngā nohonga rāhui o te KOWHEORI, engari i whakapono hoki ia mā te mahi ngātahi rātou e whakatutuki ai i aua wero. 

“Kua kitea tō mātau pakari ahakoa ngā karawhiu o te wā, te kaha ki te whakakotahi” – te reo o te Tumuaki 

Ka whakapuaki tonuhia te hōtaka akoranga mā te ipurangi, kia mākohakoha tonu ai te whakawhitinga ki waenga i te ako tawhiti me te ako ki te kura. Ko te whāinga ia, ko te rapu i ngā huarahi ki te kōkiri tonu i ngā nekehanga i te wā e whai wāhi tonu ana te KOWHEORI, me te whakamana i te whānau ki te whakatau i te āhua tonu o taua noho, nā ā rātou ake whakaritenga. 

“Kei te titiro ki te āhua o tēnei mate, kia tau tana noho engari mā mātou e whakatau tana āhua” – te reo o te Tumuaki 

Ka whakanuia e te kura te hua me ngā mātauranga o roto i ā rātou ake taonga tuku iho. E tahuri atu ana rātou ki te tūhura i aua kōrero tuku iho, kia whai māramatanga, kia whai rongoā hoki pea e hāpai ake ai i ngā whānau i roto i te āhua tonu o ngā pēhitanga o te KOWHEORI. 

“Kei ngā Kaupapa Māori e kitea mai ai te rongoā mō tēnei mate nei. Whiro, Maikinui, Maikiroa, Te Puea me ōna korero. Mō te āpōpō, kei te ruku ki ērā korero ahakoa kāre e mōhio ki te mutunga he kōrero kei roto i te ao Māori, kei roto i a tātau” – te reo o te Tumuaki 

I tautuhia, i te wā o te nohonga rāhui, kāhore he pouārahi tāne Māori i āta kitea ki te hapori. Kua whakawhanakehia e te kura a ‘Pae Hihiri’, arā, he kōkiritanga ka tūhono i ngā pouārahi tāne Māori me ngā tama tāne o te kura. 

Lynda Pura-Watson
Kairuruku

Poutū-te-rangi 2022

Te Horopaki ā-Rangahau | Research context 

Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tamaki nui a Rua is in the township of Dannevirke next to the Marae o Makirikiri carved in 1888. The marae is used as a valued teaching and learning space. The kura provides immersion Māori education upholding the philosophy of Te Aho Matua for students from Years 1 – 13.

Te Aho Matua is the philosophy that guides and influences the education and life outcomes for all. The kura are committed to fulfilling the distinctive values and beliefs of Te Aho Matua (TAM) which include:

• Te Tino Uaratanga – The overarching aspirations and outcomes for students
• Te Ira Tangata – The student develops physical, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing, an awareness of his or her individual uniqueness and knowledge and respect for him or herself and others 
• Te Reo Māori - The student is a competent thinker, speaker, reader and writer of Te Reo Māori and English 
• Ngā Iwi - The student is secure in the knowledge of ancestral links, and the hopes and aspirations of whānau, hāpu and iwi 
• Te Ao - The student knows the contemporary and traditional views of te Ao Māori, the wider world and the physical and natural world 
• Āhuatanga Ako - The student is intellectually stimulated in an environment conducive to learning. 

Rangitāne is the local iwi and many whānau are from this area. Students learn about Rangitāne language, stories of significance, cultural beliefs and practices. 

Ngā Kitenga: Findings

Lessons from 2020

The leadership teams of Te Kura Māori o Tamaki nui a Rua learned valuable lessons in 2020 that provided good insights for 2021. A significant lesson was that although academics are important, there should be a greater focus on the wellbeing of whānau. Holistic and collective wellbeing became the focus. 

“Akoranga matua ko te oranga, he nui ngā akoranga mō te oranga o te tangata... I huri ki te mauri o te ākonga, ki te wairua, ki te āhua, ki ngā mea kāre e tāea te ine...” - Tumuaki voice 

The priority was to ensure that there was a safe and healthy environment at home during lockdown. The leadership team came to understand that their role was to support students by working with their whānau. Connections to Ngāti Kahungungu and Rangitāne provided access to wider networks and support from iwi organisations and community services. 

“Kei pōhēhē kei konei te oranga o te tamaiti. Te rama nui, ngā pou o ngā whare e noho nei wā mātau tamariki” – Tumuaki voice

“Ko te mauri o te whare te ora rānei, te mate rānei kei ngā ringaringa o ngā kaitiaki” – Tumuaki voice

The tumuaki identified communication as a vital aspect to ensuring clarity for whānau. A communication hub was established to keep whānau updated. Unity and working together were seen as critical to supporting the community as a whole.

“I roto i te raruraru i kitea te rongoā i te whakakotahi i a mātou anō i roto i te wā poto” – Tumuaki voice

Roles and responsibilities

Kaimahi were responsive in their roles. They attended to the needs of their students. Kaimahi made daily wellbeing phone calls to students. They also created fun and exciting online social experiences for both students and whānau. 

“Ko ngā tohutohu i tukuna ki ngā kaiako kia aro ki te oranga o te tamaiti kia noho tau, harikoa.” – Tumuaki voice

Support was sourced from health and social services by the whānau whakahaere and the tumuaki. Kaimahi and whānau could access kai, funding and connectivity services which provided a great deal of relief for many. The leadership team recognised earlier on that whānau played a key role in supporting students in their learning, therefore, it was important to remove as many barriers as possible to allow this to happen. 

“I noho ko te whānau hei kaiako, ko ngā mātua, ngā tangata o te whare hei pou whakaako” – Tumuaki voice

Transitions 

In preparation for the return of tamariki to kura, the main priority was to put in place a plan to ensure transitions were settling, calm and did not cause anxiety for anyone. Kaimahi cleared the way by returning the day before for karakia and ensuring the environments were prepared not only physically but spiritually for the return of students. 

“I te hokinga mai ki te kura, ko te whāinga matua ko te tau o te mauri o ngā tamariki ki te wāhi nei.” – Tumuaki voice

The learning program aimed to ensure a smooth transition by focusing on spiritual and mental wellbeing of everyone. Kaiako planned activities that would be soothing and settling for students. This was however made somewhat challenging by social distancing.

“I kōtahi anō mātau ngā kaimahi me ngā kaihoe o te kaupapa hōtaka hāngai katoa ki te wairua, ki te hinengaro, te tau o te tamaiti.” – Tumuaki voice

Wellbeing

Te oranga o te tangata was the primary focus for the kura. Te mauri o te whare and kaitiaki were seen as vital factors in supporting the wellbeing of students. 

“Tautoko i ngā tamariki mā te whakapakari i ngā pou o ngā whare” – Tumuaki voice

The leadership team recognises the importance of meaningful connections and the valuable contributions they have to wellbeing. The kura established a social club to maintain connections, it recognised that through working together solutions will be found. 

“I kite i te rongoā o te noho tahi, te kotahitanga.” – Tumuaki voice

The tumuaki acknowledged that her role was to consider the impacts on the whole kura community, inclusive of students, tamariki, kaimahi, whānau and wider community. She received valuable support from the senior advisor at the Ministry of Education and Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori.

“Ko tētahi mea nui ko te kore mōhio, me huri ki whea, ki a wai? I te mutunga me kimi i ngā kōrero e tika ai taku whakatau” – Tumuaki voice

Ngā kitenga me ngā āheinga anamata: Insights and opportunities

The tumuaki acknowledged that COVID lockdowns was challenging however, believed through working together, they could overcome these challenges.

“Kua kitea tō mātau pakari ahakoa ngā karawhiu o te wā, te kaha ki te whakakotahi” – Tumuaki voice

The learning programme will continue to be delivered online so that the transition between distant and onsite learning remains smooth. The goal is to find ways to live alongside COVID, whilst empowering the whānau to dictate what that looks like on their terms.

“Kei te titiro ki te āhua o tēnei mate, kia tau tana noho ēngari mā mātou e whakatau tana āhua” – Tumuaki voice

The kura acknowledges the value and wisdom of their traditions. They are looking to explore these stories and narratives to gain insight and possible solutions to better support whānau in COVID environments. 

“Kei ngā Kaupapa Māori e kitea mai ai te rongoā mō tēnei mate nei. Whiro, Maikinui, Maikiroa, Te Puea me ōna korero. Mō te āpōpō, kei te ruku ki ērā korero ahakoa kāre e mōhio ki te mutunga he kōrero kei roto i te ao Māori, kei roto i a tātau” – Tumuaki voice

It was identified that during lockdown there was a lack of Māori male role models seen in the community. The kura has developed ‘Pae Hihiri’, an initiative to provide positive Māori male role models for their male students.

Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Executive Evaluation and Review Māori

March 2022