Kawerongo Newsletter 12 2022
Te Rōhutu Whio 29th July 2022
Kia ora e te whānau!
Welcome back to Term 3! We extend an especially warm welcome to our new whānau who have joined us at Te Rōhutu Whio this term. It has been a very busy start to the term with our tamariki planning and preparing for our opening this week as well as getting back into the routines of their learning spaces.
We are so looking forward to our official opening this Paraire Friday! Ngā mihi thank you to those who have rsvp'd they are coming, we can't wait to share this day with you and your tamariki. The official opening is a wonderful chance for us to reflect on the journey taken to create and open this special learning village and acknowledge the many people who have played a part in getting us to where we are today. Ka tuku whakawhetai mātou we are very grateful for the dedication of the different teams involved, including our Establishment Board, the Ministry of Education, the builders and architects, and our kaimahi staff and whānau. We are also very grateful to our Friends of Te Rōhutu Whio and their friends who have been busy behind the scenes supporting the organisation of this celebration.
Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi with your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive (working together, we will all flourish). We know that our success is due to the contribution of many, and we thank everyone who has been involved.
Our celebration on Paraire Friday is a mihi whakatau, a ceremony of welcome. This is a uniquely Māori way to welcome new ākonga learners, whānau, and kaimahi staff and people who help us out. An explanation of the purpose and process of a mihi whakatau is included in this kawerongo newsletter, please read on for more information. Mihi whakatau is embedded as part of our kawa way of doing things at Te Rōhutu Whio - we have been fortunate to begin our term with 3 mihi whakatau already as we've welcomed in new whānau schools for Hangarau Technology. Our tamariki are very familiar with the process and do us proud every time.
Kia pai te rā. Enjoy your day.
Kate Morgan
Kaihautū Principal
Mihi Whakatau at Te Rōhutu Whio
At Te Rōhutu Whio, we honour our local rūnanga, Te Taumutu. Te Taumutu gifted us our values and our name - Rōhutu, a plant with heart shaped leaves and Whio, the sound that the spinning top made when Māori made spinning tops out of the rōhutu tree. Also, the whakataukī, aroha ki te tangata, aroha ki te whenua, aroha ki te reo - love to the people, love to the land, love to the language.
Our Mihi Whakatau welcome ceremony is a uniquely Māori way to welcome new ākonga learners, whānau families, and kaimahi staff and people who help us out. The Mihi Whakatau marks the formal commencement of your journey with us at Te Rōhutu Whio.
What is a Mihi Whakatau?
Mihi Whakatau and Pōwhiri are both rituals of welcome where hosts make speeches of welcome to manuhiri visitors. Mihi Whakatau are ceremonies of welcome, less formal than a pōwhiri and can occur at a variety of venues and at any time of day. A Pōwhiri is held at Ngāti Moki Marae, Te Taumutu. Welcomes which held at an education setting which includes tikanga and kawa Māori (protocols) are referred to as a mihi whakatau, not a pōwhiri (Te Taumutu Rūnanga, 2014).
Te Rōhutu Whio has been gifted five values from Te Taumutu Rūnanga, the tangata whenua people of this land.
Of these five, the two that we focus on for a mihi whakatau are:
Manaakitanga – the process of showing respect, generosity and care for others. At Te Rōhutu Whio, our tamariki children know this as ‘Looking after ourselves and others’
Whanaungatanga – the process of establishing relationships. At Te Rōhutu, our tamariki know this as ‘Being and feeling a part of one big family’.
What to Expect
At Te Rōhutu Whio we uphold the kawa of Te Taumutu Rūnanga and always ensure that our first language spoken is te reo Māori.
There are two groups of people/sides in a mihi whakatau: tangata whenua, people of the land (our Te Rōhutu Whio community that have already been welcomed) and manuhiri, visitors (or those yet to be welcomed).
Manuhiri will gather together at the waharoa entrance to Te Rōhutu Whio. Women and tamariki will gather in the middle of the group with men around the sides and back. Once the manuhiri hear singing (this is part of haka pōwhiri, explained later) the group will start walking towards the hall, Te Whare Tapere, as a tight knit group.
When they reach the doors, the women will start filling up the seats from about the 3rd row towards the back, standing in front of their seat, not sitting yet. The men will then start filling up the seats with the kaikōrero speakers in the front row. If there is not enough room for the men to sit then the women will accommodate and move towards the back. Men and women have different roles in te ao Māori, the Māori world, each as important as the other. Once all manuhiri are standing in front of a seat, a kaikōrero speaker representing Te Rōhutu Whio will gesture for the group to sit.
The Kaikōrero representing Te Rōhutu Whio will stand and speak first, in te reo Māori. After each kaikōrero the group stands to sing a waiata song to support the sentiments expressed in the kōrero speech. When all of the kaikōrero have spoken from the learning village side then it is passed over to the manuhiri and the same process is followed. We encourage manuhiri to respond in te reo Māori, but acknowledge and celebrate the use of all languages/native tongues. The kōrero speeches normally include a greeting, acknowledgement of those who have passed and those still living, and a welcome. When the formal part of the mihi whakatau is complete, often someone from the learning village will stand and explain what has happened in English.
The Hongi
Following the kōrero speeches, the people on the manuhiri side are invited to come forward and hongi (pressing of noses) the people on the learning village side. This is initiated by shaking hands. The hongi mingles the breath of two people in a show of unity (Te Taumutu Rūnanga, 2014). The hongi is a traditional form of greeting used by several Polynesian cultures.
The hongi during Covid restrictions
Due to the health and safety of our whānau, tikanga will be changed to ensure the health of our whānau. Rather than hongi, we will hā mamao as in the breath (of life, shared in hongi) from a distance. Our noses do not touch. Instead the action is to bring the hand up near the nose and then push the hand back out near the nose of the person opposite. The first person in the line will show you what to do!
The role of kai food
The final act of the Mihi Whakatau is to share kai food. This is an essential part of the process as it lifts any tapu (sacred, sacrosanct) aspects that have been part of the preceding formalities. We include it in our Mihi Whakatau too as the sharing of kai is a time-honoured way to ‘break the ice’ and begin new relationships. A karakia blessing is always said before eating the kai.
Order of proceedings
Haka Pōwhiri – waiata songs to welcome manuhiri in
Whaikōrero tuatahi– speeches from the learning village side
Whaikōrero tuarua – speeches from the manuhiri side
Whakamārama – Explanation
Hongi me te Hariru or Hā Mamao– pressing of noses and shaking of hands
Karakia Kai - Blessing of food and shared kai
Friends of Te Rōhutu Whio
School Donations
ONLINE PAYMENTS NOW LIVE WITH KINDO!
We are excited to let you know that our Kindo School shop is now open.
All your school payments can be made in one place….with your myKindo account.
This includes ezlunch, as well as personalised accounts for school donations and activity fees.
New users
New users can set up a myKindo account easily!
Click here to register & create an account. All you need is the email address the school has on file for you.
Existing users
Already have an ezlunch or myKindo account?
If you have an account, you can log in here, and use the my details page to update your details.
Payment
There are a number of ways you can choose to top-up your account, and this can be done at the checkout, or by selecting the ‘top up account’ option at any time.
POLi No fees. Instant transfer. **RECOMMENDED**
Credit/Debit Card 50 cent charge + 2.5% fee. Instant transfer.
Visa / MasterCard / American Express and China UnionPay available.
Bank Transfer No fees. Allow 2 days for processing.
Shopping
There are TWO types of transactions you will be able to make using myKindo: paying personalised payment requests for your students and purchasing optional items.
Personalised payment requests will appear at the top of your screen under your student’s name. (Coming soon).
Pay the full amount by clicking ‘+’ next to the item or make a part payment, by changing the amount before clicking the ‘+’ (if available).
There are also the Kindo shop/optional items.
Click on your child’s initial next to an optional item to add to your cart.
Once you have made all your purchases click on the Checkout option to complete your transaction.
If you have sufficient funds, then simply click Place Order at the checkout and you’re done!
If you have insufficient funds, you will be able to top-up before completing your purchase.
Your order will automatically go through to the school, or lunch supplier, and you will receive an email receipt confirming your top-up and/or purchase!
mykindo App
mykindo app is also available to download for both android and iPhone.
Need assistance? Our Kindo helpdesk is open 8am to 4pm weekdays.
Freephone: 0508 4 KINDO (0508 454 636) Email: hello@mykindo.co.nz
Online support: support.mykindo.co.nz
Uniform
Enrolments
Lunch Orders at Te Rōhutu Whio
Lunch orders are available for ākonga learners at Te Rōhutu Whio on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Subway - order by 9:00am Tuesday
Sushi Factory- order by 9:00am Wednesday
Pita Pita - order by 9:00am Friday
Visit www.ezlunch.co.nz to order or sign up as a new account
Wātaka Calendar
- Official Opening - Friday 5th August 2022
- Te Taumutu Plant Out Day - Tuesday 9th August
- Kanohi ki te kanohi personalised learning meetings - 30th September 2022
- Term 3 Ends - Friday 30th September 2022
Whakapā Mai Contact Us
Email: admin@terohutuwhio.school.nz
Website: https://terohutuwhio.school.nz/
Location: 85 Kate Sheppard Drive, Rolleston, New Zealand
Phone: 03 244 0426
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeRohutuWhio/
Community Notices
BMX Have a Go Day
Singing Stars Selwyn
Group singing - $11.50 for a 30 minute session
Individual singing - $19.50 per 30 minute private tuition
Piano lessons - $18.50 per 20 minute private tuition
For further information or registration, please contact Jacqui Soper, Singing Stars Selwyn