Te Kura Kaupapa Māori: Hands-On Learning

Their focus was learning about traditional Māori weaponry and students participated in a hands-on taiaha (fighting staff) workshop with two of our very knowledgeable cultural performers. ​Our Whare Tāonga has an amazing collection of traditional weaponry and students were able to view and discuss these up close. Some weapons of note are a mere pounamu (greenstone weapon) which belonged to Hongi Hika, a powerful Ngāpuhi rangitara and war-leader, and a taiaha (fighting staff) which belonged to Te Ruki Kawiti, renowned for his military genius.

How powerful for students to be able to study these artefacts up close and note every mark and dent on them! Students also spent some time with our carvers who talked with them about different native timber and the suitability of them for the various weapons, for example we learnt that pūriri is the hardest wood for weapons.