Motueka High School

NEW WHAKAIRO FOR TE WHARE TAIKURA O TE MAATU

The unveiling of the whakairo for Te Whare Taikura o Te Maatu was held on Sunday 19 April 2026.

This whare is first and foremost a classroom. Located at the front of school, it is a statement building to nurture and nourish te reo Māori me Ona tikanga. Built upon the lands of Wakatū Incorporation, it is part of the tenths land legacy.

The art adorning the whare celebrates the culture and identity of iwi, hapu and whanau of Motueka. It reinforces the importance of gardening, food resilience and the mana of Motueka soils. The themes of courage, discovery, effort and endurance are woven into this narrative alongside the importance of gender equity and complementarity. It is a gift and a lesson to the akonga and kaiako of Motueka High School.

The colours of the whare are unconventional and innovative. Both playful and bold they are a tribute to the vibrant palette of our landscapes in Te Tauihu and the vivacious character of our community.

The name of the whare is carved into the central pare, the lintel above the doorway. This pare represents the whanau of Whakarewa Trust. It incorporates two traditional ko, traditional implements used by tupuna in the planting and harvesting of gardens, an apt reminder of the history of these lands.

The tekoteko, the carved figure standing above the apex of the whare, represents Hui Te Rangiora, a legendary tupuna navigator and explorer whose voyages took him to the frozen waters of Antarctica centuries before European explorers.

The purple koruru on the whare is Rongo, a deity of peace and cultivated foods, whose presence manifests in multiple forms.

The maihi (barge boards) and amo (supporting posts) tell the story of creation, depicting ranginui and papatuanuku. The maihi are constructed from wood, steel and acrylic. They represent the legendary primeval parents Ranginui and Papatuanuku.

The striking carvings above the windows connect the whare to iwi of Motueka, Ngāti Rārua and Te Atiawa.

Motueka High School is thankful for the support and collaboration of iwi and the funders: Department of Internal Affairs, Rata Foundation, Whakarewa, Ngāti Rārua, and Te Atiawa.

REGIONAL KAPA 2025 - Te Kapa Taikura o Te Maatū

Motueka High School students, staff and community are incredibly proud to see our tauira shining so brightly at the Regional Kapa recently for our school. The hours of work, the passion, the skill, and the striking beauty of the group was inspirational. Ably lead by Aatea and Aiden embody pure power and pride. The whole kapa have forged a glowing path for us to follow and build on and Motueka High School is committed to continuing this vital kaupapa.

The hours of practice, the weekend noho and the hard work of tutor, students, whānau and support crew are over for now and I want to recognise the immense efforts and expertise of Hotene Walker and thank him publicly for the distance travelled and the energy poured in.

At school students saw first hand, and were in awe of, their school mates. Staff were blown away to see the tauira they see in their classes transformed into stars. Students and staff from Pakarana witnessed young people in the full manifestation of their power and identity.

This was a powerful moment and one to cherish. Rest well our fabulous kapa. Be proud. Accept the accolades you richly deserve. Let the applause and cheers of your community sustain and motivate you as you have sustained and motivated us.

Launched in 2012, Welcoming Week gives us an opportunity to celebrate our welcoming values through local events and initiatives that foster mutual understanding, stronger connections, and deeper belonging among all of us — particularly long-time residents and newcomers.

Aotearoa is one of the most diverse countries in the world. There are over 200 different ethnicities. A quarter of all people who call New Zealand home were born overseas. Our diversity is our strength. It's what makes us a vibrant and attractive place to be. Welcoming Week in Aotearoa is a chance to celebrate these qualities and demonstrate two important Māori principles:

Whanaungatanga — the importance of relationships, and
Manaakitanga — the process of showing respect, generosity, and care for others.

On Friday 9 June MHS was represented at the regional Ngā Manu Kōrero Speech competition hosted at Nelson College for Girls. Our speakers were Leah Ngawhika (Senior English), Temaru Teaukura ( Junior English) and Kahukura Iosefa (Junior Māori). They all stood with mana and confidence, and came off stage feeling pleased about their delivery. Each achieved a third place in their respective categories.

The additional 22 MHS students who accompanied and supported our three speakers were smartly attired, well behaved, and did a particularly good job of learning and performing the waiata in support of their fellow students. Even with the early start of students needing to be at school by 7am, they did this without issue or complaint and maintained a positive attitude. All in all it was a fabulous day.

Thank you to everyone for their support behind the scenes. To those who released students from classes to allow us to train & and rehearse, to those who gave encouragement to our speakers and to those who helped with the logistics of uniforms, vans, EOTC admin, teaching relief etc…he mihi maioha (greetings of gratitude).

Special thanks to Whaea Hilary & Whaea Trish for chauffeuring & chaperoning van loads of students on the day and congratulations to Whaea Karen and the Te Tauihu team of organisers for a smoothly run event. Big thanks to Tania Corbett and Maihi Barber for organising this and accompanying the students.

Drifting Jandals

2024 the Drifting Jandals formed with the hopes of us four cousins giving the Talent Quest a crack, this was just the beginning!

When we first formed we were keen to get together and see how we jammed as a group. It was very new for some of us, but then we started learning songs and developing new skills. As the Talent Quest grew
closer, new opportunities started popping up for us. One was the Smoke Free Tangata Beats Competition which meant practising twice as much, as well as trying to write an original song. We procrastinated a lot,
until we finally got there just a few nights before the show. After Tangata Beats, and achieving amongst the top 20 in New Zealand, we thought we could have a break, however, we were surprised to get many more opportunities, including a chance to record our original, write a second one and attending school events, including playing at the Playhouse, assemblies and open nights. What we expected to just be a little Talent Quest performance has evolved over the year and opened up many doors for us. We hope to play at The Ngatimoti Festival, and after that who knows.

It has been an experience to say the least, one that has made the four of us much closer, but we are all grateful for it and even more grateful for everyone that has pushed us and supported us along the way. We
would like to especially thank Ms Sinclair and Ms Beatson (Aunty Kathryn) for never giving up on us and Gma and Gpa for letting us practise in the garage.

The Drifting Jandals
Kaisami, Zac, Alfred and Isla