On Tuesday, 12 March, 2019, Rooms 20, 9A and 25 went for an educational field trip to Te Pane o Mataoho or (Mangere Mountain) to learn more about Maori Culture specifically on how the mountain was formed and Maoris’ ways of living in the past.
Students excitedly climbed up the mountain till they reached the Trig Station. There, they saw the Manukau Harbour, Ambury Farm, small caves used by the Maoris, “ruas” where they stored their foods, and craters covered with grass. Thorne and Leilani, Maori Educators, in turn talked about how Maoris gathered, cooked and stored their foods, how they survived in the hands of other tribes and the games children loved to play during the early days. They showed good interests on the given topics by actively participating in the discussions and asking relevant questions.
It was a very tiring but rewarding day. I could see on our children’s faces the joy and disbeliefs after learning how the Maori people in the olden days lived. I think, they realised the importance of being self-sufficient and hard work.
