Little learners enjoy cultural visit to marae

A group of curious tamariki from Pakuranga Early Learning Centre recently got an up-close look at Māori culture without having to leave their own neighbourhood.

They and their families and the centre’s staff have taken part in a cultural education visit to Te Tahawai Marae in nearby Edgewater Drive.

It was made possible by the centre raising more than $800 through the sale of donated new and near-new clothing, homeware, and food.

For many of the children and their families it was their first ever visit to a marae.

Barnardos says the marae trip supports the local curriculum of its Pakuranga centre and was a chance for its children to learn about te ao Māori and tikanga.

Centre manager Joyce Balanag says the Pakuranga community is very diverse.

“Our centre has 35 children, four qualified teachers and two educators.

“We have had an influx of children from families around us and they are multi-diverse.

“In the centre we have 15 languages that we and the children speak.

“We did a survey with our families and asked them if a trip to a marae was interesting to them.

“We had to fundraise for it as we want to be self-sustaining, and that was so successful.

“We were able to come up with enough money to finance the trip on our own without asking management to support us.

“That made our teaching team very proud and our families even prouder.”

Balanag says the children who visited the marae were excited by the opportunity.

The centre’s staff try to teach their little learners about te ao Māori and tikanga, she says.

“The tikanga of the marae, of songs, during meals, and playing, and with the help of our Māori families we tried to understand the right way to do things, the Māori way.

“We’re committed to providing rich and meaningful learning experiences that will help our tamariki connect with the wider world, including te ao Māori.”

The marae visit was successful and the children’s families were happy to have taken part, Balanag says.

“The children were able to understand what a marae and a wharenui [meeting house] are and why we sing these songs.

“Our Māori families did a waiata [song], the children did songs, and we played games. It was half a day of beautiful learning, which is what we’re all about.

“A small centre like ours can be a vital force in terms of the learning of the children we have.

“That’s what Barnardos is all about, making experiences really tangible and meaningful to all our children and their families.”

Story written and published by Eastern Times.