All Year 9 students begin the year studying our local areas’ cultural narrative.
Their learning encompasses identity and includes the exploration of Ōtautahi, Christchurch’s local history. This topic of study aims to develop students’ understanding of the bi-cultural nature and history of Te Kura o Waimairi-iri, Burnside High School and the surrounding rohe (regional or territory boundary).
The students visited Te Puna Wānaka, located at Ara Institute of Canterbury’s main campus in central Christchurch. Te Puna Wānaka, which has a formal relationship with local iwi Ngāi Tahu, opened in 1996 and has seen a growing number of students studying te reo Māori and embracing the culture.
Here the students were introduced to the history of Ōtautahi, Christchurch and had the opportunity to learn our school Mōteatea (traditional chant).
Students also experienced a hīkoi, to further develop their understanding of Mana Whenua’s cultural narrative. The hīkoi path has been developed to be explicitly linked to the recently developed Aotearoa NZ Histories curriculum. The students followed the regions Tūrangawaewae cultural guide which is available on the ChristchurchNZ website.
Significant sites visited on the hīkoi included Puāri Victoria Square, Tūranga, the Kate Sheppard National Memorial, Te Pae, the Bridge of Remembrance and the National Earthquake Memorial, Oi Manawa. The hīkoi covered three kilometres and was approximately two and a half hours long.
The students also experienced a Mihi Whakatau at Te Puna Wānaka.
