Awakeri School

Wairaka Marae stay 2012
The school went to stay, or visit Wairaka Marae, 29 Oct - 1 November

There are no photos of our first day, where room 14, 8 and 9 were welcomed by the tangata whenua, but here we are on day two. We'd had the bad news that Siri had passed away on the first night, but we went ahead with as much of our noho as we could, as well as going to her tangi. This is Room 14 welcoming Rooms 13, 11 and 10. Doing the karanga are Molly, Moana, Savannah, Amelia, Maiya, Sammy and Kayleigh. Jared, Arko and Ethan did the whaikorero for us.	Here are the manuhiri coming onto the marae. Haere mai!
Manjot, Tama, Jamie and Cody spoke for the manuhiri. Tama's dad sat on the front bench with them. Caroline, Chrystal, Kendra and Ruby had done their karanga	After that the hongi line started.
There were lots of activities. This is room 13 doing their art assignment.	Meanwhile, down the road, room 14 are doing an assignment about the Mataatua whare, the most traveled meeting house in the world!
On Tuesday, we all went back to school, to wait for Siri. She was being brought back on her way to her marae. The kapa haka are all dressed up, waiting to sing to her and her whanau.	Here we are singing to her. "i runga i to whenua tapu...." It was a very sad time. After she left, room 13 went back to the marae for their walk up to Toi's pa etc.
On day 3, Room 13 are welcoming rooms 12, 6 and 7. Caitlin, Sharni, Courtney, Toni and Poppy are staring the karanga.	Here come the manuhiri, led by the kaikaranga Katy, Lauren H, Jenna and Lauren B.
Daniel and Tom do the whaikorero. Fletcher supports them. He was meant to do it the next day, but we left the marae before it was his turn.	After the powhiri, there were lots of activities. Room 13 were teachers for rooms 6 & 7. This is Mere teaching Sam and Lauren flax. Sam and Lauren actually stayed the whole week. They helped look after all the visitors, along with Brenda Looney and Renske Forsyth, who looked after the kitchen all week.
Mekaela and Lara have heaps of fun weaving.	Shardae, Sharni and Ruby teach their students the Batman song.
Millie studies a carving.	Flo teaches room 12 how to weave the harakeke
	At the end of the third day, we left the marae and went back to school. Then many (eighty) of us went to Siri's tangi at her marae at Ruatoki - Te Rewarewa. The next day was her funeral service, so our school was closed. Again, lots of people went back to Rewarewa for that. The kapa haka sang and sang while her grave was being filled in.
Taine weaves his flax bracelet. They were awesome. Many thanks to Mere and Flo for teaching us how to make them.	This is a photo of Siri, with her daughter Andrea and the kapa haka leaders Sam Looney and Arko. It was taken at the production a few weeks ago.