In late 2010 we put in a proposal to the Council to acquire a section of the reserve land next to the kindergarten so that we could expand our outdoor area and create an 'edible forest' of fruit trees, natives and other trees that would provide food for the birds and insects and also extend our vegetable garden.
Many thanks are due to Des Mahoney for his persistance with this project and getting Wayne Brown, the mayor, on side. Just before Des' daughter Neveah left kindergarten for school earlier this year we heard that the Council had agreed to lease us the land for a peppercorn rent.
Our next task is to fence the land in and get some expert advice on where to start with planting. Rather than try to do everything at once we see this development very much as a long term project, gradually introducing new plants and trees and letting the space be shaped by its use rather than the other way around.
We look forward to seeing where this next stage of the journey will take us!
Term 2.... 2013
It certainly has taken a while but here we are another step closer to our goal!
Kaitiaki Taiao – Living in balance
On
Tuesday Matua Haami Piripi from Te Runanga o Te Rarawa came to Kindergarten to
carry out some very important mahi (work) for our kindergarten community. He came to formally change the purpose of our
newly acquired whenua (land) from that of a public reserve [and dog park?]. So we can create an edible forest and combined
play space for our tamariki to learn about sustainability, nature, environmentalism
and living in harmony with this world.
He
explained to us that we would all walk with him to “takahia te whenua” (tramp
the ground) as he recited ancient Tauparapara (tribal incantations) to establish
a space for living in balance with all things on this whenua. In essence, from a perspective of te ao o te
iwi Maori he changed the kaupapa /purpose of this land by opening the spiritual
realm. In using Tauparapara that is recited
by a person of mana, we embrace a Maori world view.
Prior
to this we had described this process to the children and whanau. as a special blessing of the land, Now, our wording has evolved to better
represent this ritual. We are all learning and investigating all the time as
we honour our commitment to tangata whenua and value our rich cultural heritage in authentic
ways.
After,
at Kotahitanga, Matua Haami said our tamariki instinctively knew the process
and intent of the ritual as we tramped the ground on that wild weathered day. He thanked us for valuing the importance of
this tradition and its importance for Maoridom.
Then as tradition requires we concluded our morning together with sumptuous
kai!
Thank
you to everyone who braved the weather and especially Matua Haami to join us on
this very special day.
28th May 2013. Compiled by Siobhan Soutar
