Reconnecting to the Environment
I waited for the call of the Pipiwharauroa which signals the start of the growing season. I was fortunate to watch Papa Wiremu Tawhai and his whanau prepare their tapapa in Omaio. They have shared their knowledge and purapura kumara to many who have made the trek to the lands of Te Whanau a Apanui. I returned from Omaio with kirikiri from the beach and the 3 varieties of Maori kumara. These were placed in our tapapa in Kirikiriroa. The tipu from the tapapa were planted at Toku Mapihi Maurea Kura Kaupapa Maori, Nga Taiatea Wharekura and my small plot here in Naylor St. That was 2010 and I continue to grow these varieties of kumara in Tokomaru Bay.
Tapapa Kumara showing 3 varieties of Maori Kumara
The kumara being harvested at Toku Mapihi Maurea Kura Kaupapa Maori
“Me whakamarama, me wananga tatou i nga take i ngaro ai nga mahi mara, tiaki taiao kia kitea ai e tatou he huarahi ano hei whakaora i enei matauranga o nga tipuna mo nga uri whakatipu”
1999 - 2001 Founding member of Xtreme Waste in Raglan as the Education Officer
2005 - 2011 Enviroschools Facilitator in Kura Kaupapa Maori and Mainstream Schools. Working with schools and students to take action for the environment
2010 Post Graduate Diploma in Science Education from Te Whare Wananga o Waikato
2009 - 2016 Facilitating the Para Kore on Marae programme throughout Waikato and Maniapoto Marae. Where marae are engaged into minimising waste through reducing, reusing and recycling. Working with 35 Marae at this time
2014 - 2016 Facilitating the Para Kore in the Hapori programme working with communities in the Waikato
2011 - 2016 Te Reo o te Hapori Intermediate and Advanced Te Ataarangi Reo Maori classes learning about the health of Papatuanuku, Ranginui, Tangaroa, Tane Mahuta
2016 Accredited Facilitator of Professional Learning and Development (PLD) for Wharekura, Kura Kaupapa, Kura-a-iwi, Kohanga Reo and Wananga in Te Tairawhiti
https://pld.education.govt.nz/find-a-facilitator/facilitators/
2017 - 2024 Facilitating the Para Kore on Marae programme working with communities in Te Tairawhiti ( East Coast) and Turanganui-a-Kiwa. Managing the waste at the Ngati Porou Inter Marae Sports competition every January
2017 - 2024 Developing Kaingarua as an eco friendly home with a composting toilet, grey water system, water capturing, gardens, fruit trees, native trees on a one acre site
2020 Managing waste and recycling at Waitangi Day and The National Surf Life Saving Champs in Gisborne
2020 - 2021 PLD Professional Learning Development with staff of Hatea-a-Rangi School - Kumara, Taro, Maika, Hue, Maramataka Maori.
2023 - Makarika School Term 3 & 4. Two days a week redeveloping raised garden, greenhouse with students and staff