“Ko au ko te kura, ko te kura ko au”
I am the school and the school is me.
– Wawatā (dream) OR School Vision statement.
– A whakataukī describing the idea of reciprocal relationships. We are all a reflection of each other. We are as good as each other. We all contribute to the success of our kura as a whole. To hold a shared vision and values, encapsulating a sense of belonging for all whom enter our gates.
Likened to: “Ko au ko koe, ko koe ko au”
– I am you and you are me.
We are our learners, they are us.
We are each other.
Our School House Groups – Rōpu Whare:
Our Tūpuna Whare ingoa (names) are indeed the parents or mātua of Hinemoa & Tūtānekai.
Umukāria & Hinemaru = Hinemoa
Whakaue & Rangiuru = Tūtānekai
Hinemoa (Ngāti Te Roro o Te Rangi) born of high-rank and adored for her beauty, remembered today as the courageous & brave Hinemoa who swam from the Eastern shores of Lake Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe to Mokoia Island (Te Motu-Tapu-a-Tinirau) to reunite with Tūtānekai after being forbidden to do so by her father, Umukāria. Tūtānekai played his kōauau or flute to comfort and guide Hinemoa to his island home. Once there, a long-lasting union was formed and many Te Arawa folk descended from this union. At our school marae, Ōwhata Marae, you will see the large rock, Iriirikapua, adorning the front entrance or Waharoa where Hinemoa once sat to listen to Tūtānekai’s kōauau in the distance. Today, the meeting house or Wharenui is named Tūtānekai. The dining house or Wharekai is named Hinemoa.
These are some of our connections to our local history and pūrākau that we explore in our learning.