KAPA HAKA
He Waka Kōtuia has had a focus on providing kapa haka, Māori performing arts, for rakatahi from King’s and Queen’s High schools since 2005. He Waka Kōtuia kapa haka is made up of year 9-13 students who come from a range of different backgrounds.
We are committed to supporting our rakatahi to be disciplined, to have integrity and set high standards for themselves in everything they do. We are committed to sharing our knowledge of te reo and tikaka Māori, to telling the stories of local iwi and using the distinct dialect of this area.
WAEWAE KAI PAKIAKA
Waewae Kai Pakiaka is a weekly programme that supports tamariki aged 5 - 13 and whānau from across our community to develop confidence, coordination and strength in movement while also enhancing Māori identity and strengthening positive relationships between tuakana/taina through Māori performing arts. There is currently no other similar initiative offered within our community.
The programme operates one day per week during the school term, from 3.30pm - 5.00pm. The programme is supervised by He Waka Kōtuia Pou (Tutors/Trustees), Komene Cassidy and Cherie Ford and is facilitated by a group of our Kaikōkiri, our tuākana from our current High School kapa haka, .
NGĀ MANU KŌRERO
Over the last six years members of He Waka Kōtuia have competed at the National Ngā Manu Kōrero competition, representing either King;'s or Queen's High School. We have had a consistent commitment to developing speakers for both the regional and national Ngā Manu Kōrero competitions.
In 2018 we had 6 speakers compete in the four categories in the regional competition. Of our 6 speakers, 4 placed first in their category qualifying to represent Ōtākou-Murihiku and the other two placed second. We couldn't have asked for a better result.
Kiringāua Cassidy, (pictured), went on to place 2nd overall at the 2018 national competition in the Sir Rāwhiti Ihaka - Junior Māori section.
In 2019 Kiringāua competed for the first time as a member of He Waka Kōtuia in the Pei Te Hurinui Jones - Senior Māori section and placed 2nd in prepared, 4th overall, and was 4 marks off the top spot.
KA HAO TE RAKATAHI
KHtR is a a series of mahika kai wānaka, engaging whānau with local mahika kai, cultural and environmental experts; providing development opportunities for rakatahi and their whānau to extend skills and knowledge of te ao tūroa, focus on greater environmental awareness that fosters kaitiakitaka – taking responsibility as guardians of our resources, providing for our whānau while ensuring sustainability and caring for our environment.
The project, which will be ongoing, examines the restoration of the wetlands and natural resources. Kaupapa will include: the lifecycle, whakapapa and origin stories of tuna and associated waiata tawhito, karakia and tikanga for harvesting tuna; mātauraka Māori – how the phases of the moon affect tuna and other species; constructing hīnaki and experimenting with other traditional methods of catching tuna; environmental factors that are impacting on the sustainable future harvest of tuna, monitoring water quality, climate change, the impact of dairy farming. Potential to undertake research around food properties and health benefits of eating tuna and the sustainable development of a ‘new product’ that can be marketed to provide economic and hauora benefits for whānau.
KURA REO RAKATAHI
A well known component of the work of He Waka Kōtuia is our commitment to growing te reo Māori in our youth generation. In partnership with (KMK) Kotahi Mano Kāika, the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Māori Language Revitalisation team we have facilitated a number of Kura Reo with a focus on all rakatahi in our takiwā.
Our Kura Reo are a mixture of structured learning in te reo and physical activities such as waka ama, mau rākau, kī-o-Rahi, and native bush and wāhi tapu hīkoi.
MANAWA HOU
Manawa Hou is Kāi Tahu kaupapa designed to be an introductionary pathway for rakatahi who have not previously connected to Kāi Tahu. The programme is situated around a particular hapū and marae and explores the stories of that hapū, provides a foundation for whakawhanaukataka with other rakatahi Kāi Tahu and sense of Kāi Tahu identity.
In 2019 He Waka Kōtuia was approached by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu to facilitate a Manawa Hou noho at Wairewa Marae. Based on the success of this noho, we have been approached again to run something similar in 2020.
MĀORI MOVEMENT
Māori Movement runs between 1-2pm on Sunday afternoons in the Queen’s High School Gym during kapa haka season. We regularly have 65-70 young people participating in this. This is a high impact session where young people get to learn Māori movement, kupu and coordination while building fitness, camaraderie and companionship having to work hard together to get each other to the next level.
We have supported Tūmai Cassidy to attain the Level 2 Practitioners Certificates from Beez Ngarino Te Waati.