Powhiri

Kia Ora! Today at Pomaria Primary Kara, Rebecca, Katie, and I were lucky enough to be welcomed into the school by a celebration called a Powhiri (sounded out like Pofiri). The assembly started at 9:30 am and all the new students, new staff (there was about 4) and us student teachers from BYU, University of Auckland, and Mandarin helpers were welcomed in by the school. First, we all filed into the hall (the PE room) and were greeted by around 40 students and 2 teachers performing the haka. My eyes just popped open as I saw the students yelling, pounding their feet and sticking out their tongues out like they do with the haka. This was all part of the ritual of the people of the land welcoming us in as strangers-they were challenging us to see if we were friend or foe.

After we were all seated as guests, the principal, Mr. Chronomanski welcomed us and spoke a few words on moving to New Zealand from South Africa and then keeping the culture alive of New Zealand. It was very cool and inspiring to hear him speak about keeping the culture and language of New Zealand alive. Then one of the 1st year teachers was our advocate to those already at Pomaria, and he spoke of where he came from, what new teachers love about teaching, and how grateful we all are to be at Pomaria teaching. Then the Haka group performed another dance and song and we all lined up as friends and did the hangi. It is a traditional welcome performed since the olden times where the new people are welcomed as friends by the people of the land and we hug and touch noses, so that we breath the same air (symbolic of becoming one). It was a spiritual and very wonderful experience to be a part of. It was great to see the students getting into the haka and powhiri. Enjoy the video and I'll keep you posted on the fun times I am having.

Great few days because I am getting to know the children, talking with them during lunch (teachers and students eat together for the first 10 minutes), and getting to know their strengths and weaknesses and positively praising their good work. We dance a lot and sing songs, and yesterday we "digged for d's" and I showed them on a globe where I lived and how far that was from New Zealand and how the seasons are different because of the rotation of the axis. We learned a new song, and it goes like this: "The reasons for the seasons is the angle of the axis." Of course, I had to dance funny to and the kids loved that-it was so fun to see us all dancing and laughing together. Mrs. Scott was proud of me too, so I'm really learning a lot and dancing like no one is watching :)