Recount/Highlight - Marae Visit

Goal: To select words and phrases to enhance meaning and/or mood.

Read by: Joshua Uiha.

“Room 7, line up”, Mrs Tui announced.

Our school was going to visit the Ruapotaka marae. We crossed to the other side of Glen Innes Primary and carried on walking to the centre of Glen Innes.  Our destination was to the Ruapotaka Marae, which was located behind the Glen Innes Library.

We reached our destination and waited for one of the workers to direct us to where the Powhiri was going to take place. “The girls have to be in the front, while the boys are lined up at the back”, a lady exclaimed. Her name was Georgie. A lady appeared in front of a building and started greeting us in a way I have never heard before. We started towards the building, and once we got closer we were asked to remove our shoes before entering.

We took our seats and before I knew we were singing a Waiata. The Powhiri was finished and it was time for our morning tea. Just a while after morning tea, we were all held into the hall to learn a Maori introduction for ourselves, called a ‘Pepeha’. Hours after learning a Pepeha and doing activities, we were told to line up outside because we were going to Technology.

The highlight of the trip to the Marae was learning a new waiata. I say this because I got to learn how to say body parts in Maori.

Example: Shoulder - Pokohiwi, Mouth - Mangai.

Holy Spirit Strand - How did the Holy Spirit work in me/others?

Pepeha

This is a Pepeha that I learnt when our school went to the 'Ruapotaka Marae'. A Pepeha is a introduction for yourself. I learnt that a Pepeha is different from a Mihimihi. 

Descriptive Writing - A Powhiri

A Powhiri is a welcoming ceremony for visitors in a marae.

A Powhiri is always started with a karanga and is only performed by a women. Not only is it performed in a Marae, it can be performed, at a School or Birthdays.

Our school went to the Ruapotaka marae, to experience what it was like. Ana-lei was asked to perform a Karanga for the Powhiri.

A Powhiri is held in a certain building located in the Marae, where we have to take off our shoes before entering.  Before a Powhiri is started, the women have to be lined up in the front, while the men are lined up in the back.The one rule for the Powhiri is that, a lady has to be the one performing the Karanga. It sounds almost like a cry. Each speech in a Powhiri is followed by a performance of a waiata, or sometimes a haka.

The feeling of being welcomed into a Marae, was like me being welcomed into a Maori family. After a Powhiri it is followed by a Haraki (Feast).

Luke 4: 1-15 - The Temptation

Aspect - Morena

Writing: Recount - A Samoan Flavour.

“We will have the girls first’, Mrs Tui announced.

During lunch time, Room 7 stayed in class because we got to eat food that most Samoans eat. It was Samoan language week, and we had a samoan item to show our school. “Rosrine and Alecia, can you guys go and grab the box of lei’s and lava lava's’, Mrs Tui asked, politely.

Alecia and I raced down the hallway like a herd of elephants. Once we had all the supplies Mrs Tui wanted we raced back to class. I grabbed what I needed from the box. A lei and a red lavalava. Just after everyone got dressed, we started our Samoan lunch. Chop Suey, Rice, Luae, Corn Beef, and Coconut Cream Taro. All the girls lined up, in a weird curved line waiting for our food. Caroline, Sini, Alecia, Courtney, Sammy and I received our food and sat together, in a circle.

Just a few minutes later, I split my Chop Suey between Caroline and Sini because I knew that I wouldn’t be able to finish it. Most of the Room 7 students finished our plates and were getting ready to rehearse our Samoan dance, once again. Another 5 minutes passed, and we were getting into our lines to rehearse for our dance.

After our final practise for our dance, we cleaned up the classroom and headed off to the hall, to perform for Room 4. During the dance, I smelt something a bit odd, almost like fish. I brushed it off and carried on. Just then I realised the dance was over, and was a bit relieved. Room 4 then performed their item about the Samoan flag.

After all items were performed, Mrs Tui decided to take us out for a game of Dodgeball. The team I was put into was the team who got to start off being inside. I was one of the first people to get out, which regrettable. ‘Ring, Ring’, the school bell rang, loudly. We all whined at once and wanted to carry on playing. “That’s unfair”, I heard one of the students shout. I gave myself one of those ‘I don’t agree faces’, and carried on walking to class.

The experience of finally getting to dance in a different culture was pretty shocking. I hope to do it again, some time.