Pupils’ cultures reflected in prize-winning mural
Grantlea Downs School is celebrating its pupils’ different cultures with a winning mural.
The school was one of 10 nationally to win the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Resene Wall Worthy Competition 2020, alongside another South Canterbury school, Glenavy.
Grantlea Downs teacher aide Penni Naylor said the school community had 20 different nationalities and the mural was designed to express that while nestled in the stunning surrounding landscape of Timaru.
The panoramic scenic mural, loosely titled Cultural Celebration, has animals, plants and scenes representing a variety of countries and cultures.
She said it was about celebrating New Zealand’s clean green environment combined with the message that people from diverse cultural backgrounds can live in harmony.
A group of 11 pupils represented the cultures and came up with a design. Twenty-five pupils have taken turns spending an hour at a time painting since Monday.
They hope to have the art on the resource room exterior completed by today.
Naylor said the school was fortunate to have artist and high school art teacher Gala Kirke as a parent who helped to take the concept to the next stage.
Kirke is from Slovakia and a bear on the wall represents her country. She came to New Zealand in 1996 and enjoyed it so much she returned in 1999 and completed an art degree at Otago University.
She thought the pupils had done well with the mural.
Fijian pupil Asenaca Kuruduadua, 11, moved to New Zealand about five years ago and missed her family members who were still there.
She celebrated Fijian Independence Day each year in Timaru and practices meke (Fijian dancing). Her homeland’s emblem, the white tagimaucia flower, is on the mural representing her country.
Eleven-year-old Josh Aguirre’s parents are both from the Philippines and a water buffalo and jasmine flower are reminders of their culture.
Ma¯ori pupil Irihapati McMillanMeager (Nga¯ i Tahu), and Pa¯ keha¯ Millie Boyle, both 11, found symbols for both their cultures doubled up in many ways with a po¯ hutukawa tree and a kiwi bird important to them.
Glenavy School art teacher Lynda Anderson said they completed their winning mural on a container over the summer.
It celebrates the journey the pupils take through their primary education represented by birds which are also the names of their classrooms.
Water is also featured on the painting with the sea showing the children’s progress from pre-school. Their educational journey includes being carried on the Waitaki River, she said.
‘‘Each of the birds is a comparison of the children’s ages and stages throughout their schooling,’’ Anderson said.
Both schools received a $750 Resene paint voucher, drop cloth and high-vis vests.