Maori Achievement Celebration

20/01

Korihi te manu
Takiri mai tea ta
Ka ao ka ao ka awatea
Tihei Mauriora

On Tuesday, 2 November, 2012, the school celebrated the successes and achievements of the Maori students at the school for 2012. The evening began with an inspiring powhiri at Okohanga to welcome whanau and parents. Matua Ihaka and Kaumatua Ray gave inspiring korero which were ably backed up by waiata from the kapa haka students.

The students enjoyed a big kai of sausages and the parents enjoyed the staff room for their kai. The formal part of the evening began in the PAC with a karakia and the presentation of the Year 9 and 10 awards. The audience were then treated with some nice waiata from the kapa haka group and a thunderous haka by all students. The Year 11 and 12 awards were then presented before Erani and Ariah Teaupaku enthralled the crowd with two beautiful waiata. Chris Nepia, an old student and qualified lawyer spoke to the audience and inspired them with words of wisdom for the future.

The pinnacle of the evening was the presentation of the Year 13 awards and the supreme awards. The winners were:
Year 13 Te Reo Maori – Te Amiona Korewha
Year 12 Te Reo Maori – Nikita McGruer
Year 11 Te Reo Maori – Irene Tawa
Year 10 Te Reo Maori – Diamond Piwari and Te Rina Taikato
Year 9 Te Reo Maori – Dylan Ngatai and Mya Levis
Tutara Wananga – Jamal McGruer
Top all round male – Adam Braddock
Top all round female – Aneta Buckley, Alyse Barclay
Ngai Tamarawaho Award – Michael Rolleston
A huge thank-you to the whanau, teachers and students who helped make the evening such a success and we look forward to many more wonderful Maori Celebration Evenings in the future. Ma te Atua koutou e tiaki.

Ihaka Matthews
HOD Maori