Calvin's school blog

Calvin's class has a great blog that follows their activities throughout the week. http://room16muritaischool.blogspot.com/

We only have 2 weeks left in this term and then he will return to school 2 February in a brand new class. He's doing much better when I drop him off. He went through a 3 week or so stint where he cried every time I left him at school. Meanwhile, he hadn't been himself, 100%. I finally took him to the doctor after finding swollen lymph nodes which led to blood tests a week later. We were relieved to find his tests completely normal and concluded that he had a virus for that time period. That would explain his fatigue and sensitivity during that time. I'm so glad he's back to normal! The other day he even said to me as I was walking him into jump jam, "Mom, you can go, I can walk by myself." It wasn't the response I was used to and even caught me off guard, ok I may have teared up a slight bit. It's a double edged sword. We want them to be independent but yet when they are, it's so hard!

He's learning so much in school. Tonight he started to read a book on his own by sounding out the letters of each word. He's making new friends and is doing well. I just wonder what I'll do on our 6+ week summer break with all 3 kiddos at home! :)

Aside from learning good ol' readin, writin' & arithmetic, Calvin & MaeMae are getting a wonderful experience of the Maori culture. Mary Katherine learns words and songs in Maori at kindy and it's precious to hear her sing the songs. I had no idea how enriching this experience would be for us! Last week, they held a powhiri for a little girl joining Calvin's class. The girls and I were able to sit in and watch this wonderful ceremony.

Their blog reads, "Today at school there was a special powhiri to welcome Pania and Room 16 to Muritai School. At 10 o'clock we met Pania, her family and friends from Te Puna Kohanga Reo at the school gate. Then we were welcomed across the playground and into the hall by members of the Kapa Haka group. In the hall there were lots of songs, speeches and even a haka!"

Pōwhiri

A Māori welcome on to a marae is a pōwhiri (or pōhiri). Marae are not the only places where pōwhiri take place - pōwhiri can happen anywhere that hosts (tangata whenua) wish to formally greet a group of visitors (manuhiri).

Māori is the language used during pōwhiri. While pōwhiri may vary according to the occasion and the tribal area, Māori language still guides pōwhiri. Basic pōwhiri include the following steps:

1. Karanga is a unique form of female oratory in which women bring a range of imagery and cultural expression to the first calls of welcome (and response) in the pōwhiri.
2. Whaikōrero or formal speech making follows the karanga. Some of the best Māori language orations are given during pōwhiri when skilled speakers craft the language into a series of verbal images. The protocols for whaikōrero during pōwhiri are determined by the kawa (practices) of the marae or local iwi if the pōwhiri is not held on a marae.
3. A waiata or song is sung after each whaikōrero by the group the orator represents. It is common to hear traditional waiata during pōwhiri.
4. Koha – a gift, generally an envelope of money, is laid on the ground by the last speaker for the manuhiri (visitors). A local kuia (female elder) may karanga as an expression of thanks. A male from the tangata whenua will pick up the koha.
5. Hongi – the pressing of noses signifies the joining together of tangata whenua and manuhiri. Tangata whenua invite the manuhiri to come forward to shake hands (hariru) and hongi.
6. Hākari – the feast, a meal is then shared. This usually signifies the end of the pōwhiri.

(thanks www.korero.maori.nz)

The groups gather at one side of the playground. (Calvin has on the yellow shirt)

Here both groups are walking toward the gym while 2 girls sing the karanga. (see video below)

This is the group, Kapa Haka, from the school performing and welcoming the little girl from the Maori school & Calvin's "new entrant" class to the "big school".

After the koha, the children then are welcomed by the older kids. (in the video below you can see the orators doing a hongi, the pressing of the noses.

Funny: On the little playground, there's a double slide with a hump in the middle to divide the 2 slides. Today, the kids were playing after school and Calvin slid down the hump and yelled out "nutcrack!". I was taken aback by this terminology for this part of the slide and wanted to be sure I heard correctly so I asked Calvin what he said. "Nutcrack". I asked him, "is that what you call that part of the slide?" and he replied, "yes". Then I asked, "do you know what that means" and thankfully, innocently he replied, "no" and before scampering off to take another run on the nutcrack, I asked him who calls it that to which he replied, "the big kids". Oh the things you learn on the playground. I about died laughing and had to keep my composure during this conversation to not make a big deal about it. Oh my, I still get a good laugh.