At the end of term 4, members of the Kia Eke Panuku team collaborated with iwi and hapū to facilitate nine marae-based wānanga to listen to rangatahi Māori. Groups from 58 schools from Kaitaia to Invercargill met over nine days to discuss what Māori students enjoying and achieving education success as Māori meant from their own experiences.
Ngāti Tūwharetoa hosted the first of these wānanga on Nukuhau marae.
This was followed the next day in Tauranga Moana where Ngāi Tamarāwaho hosted us on Huria marae.
Moving to South Auckland we were hosted by Tainui on Pūkaki marae before travelling north to Whitiora marae at Te Tii. Finally that week Te Atiawa hosted our wānanga on Waiwhetu marae.
In the second week we held wānanga on Oākura marae beneath the maunga Taranaki and Ōmaka marae at Blenheim. Next we moved south to Tuahiwi marae where we were hosted by Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga. Our final wānanga was hosted by Awarua Rūnanga and held on Te Rau Aroha marae in the Bluff.
Hou kainga on each marae provided the tikanga to manaaki and provide cultural safety for us all.
For the whānau, teachers, Boards of Trustee members, Ministry staff and Kia Eke Panuku team it has been a humbling, inspiring and moving experience to hear what rangatahi were prepared to share with us in these cultural settings.
Students, too, expressed their thanks for the opportunity to meet with their peers and be heard. This was an experience that we will all take into our holidays.
Resources from these wānanga will become available in term one of next year.