Whakatipu Kaitiaki is about raising our rangatahi to be future kaitiaki leaders.

It is a wānanga programme that involves rangatahi from the 7 hapū of Ahuriri. There will be some joint wānanga, and other wānanga that are based on our hapū of Tangoio.

There are four themes that align with the seasons:

Ki Tai

This wānanga will be held in raumati (summer) in January – February.

Rangatahi will experience sailing waka taurua (small 4-person waka) and the waka hourua Te Matau a Māui (the big waka). Through the waka experience rangatahi will gain knowledge of Kahungunu waka history, tides and weather.

Matariki

This wānanga will be held mainly in takurua (winter) in June, with a lead up in April.

There will be activities based around the kaupapa of kāhui whetu (star constellations) and maramataka (Māori calendar guiding planting, harvesting, fishing etc.).

In the week of 5 April 2021, there will be an evening session to see sunset and Matariki setting from Ātea a Rangi (the star compass at Waitangi Regional Park near Awatoto).

During 16 – 28 June there will be an early morning session to watch Matariki rising again.

The week of 23 June is Matariki whānau night at Ātea a Rangi. There will be kai, entertainment and kōrero about Matariki.

Whakapapa

This wānanga will be held in ngahuru (autumn) in May – September.

Rangatahi will visit ancient pā to experience where our tīpuna lived. They will make connections and understand our hapū whakapapa. Kapa Haka is part of the kaupapa so that our rangatahi can proudly sing our Tangoio Marae anthems.

Ki Uta

This wānanga will be held in kōanga (spring) in October – December.

Rangatahi will visit their maunga tapu, Maungaharuru, at Opouahi and Boundary Stream. They will experience the ngahere (bush) and learn bush skills. We will show rangatahi how we are bringing back birds to our sacred mountain, such as by controlling pests. If they are lucky they will get to see beautiful manu such as kākā.

Co-ordinators

The co-ordinators of these wānanga are Ātea a Rangi Educational Trust, with support from Te Matau a Māui Voyaging Trust, Te Toki Voyaging Trust, and Te Wai Mauri Environmental Trust.

Tutors will include our whānau from Tangoio.

This is a FREE programme provided by Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust, working with the 7 hapū of Ahuriri, utilising funding provided by Panpac Environmental Trust.