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.