Mt Tauhara a trek of discovery
School pupils reach new heights of understanding
Waipāhīhī-a-Tia School pupils celebrated reaching new heights recently with a trip to the top of Mt Tauhara. The 65 Years 5 and 6 students from three classes made the climb through low cloud with their teachers and 19 parent helpers, marking a first trip up the maunga for many of them.
The steep ascent was not only a physical challenge but formed part of the pupils’ learning about their connection to the place they live.
The theme for term one is Whanaungatanga, or connections between people.
The classes have been working with Matua Snow Rameka, an acrossschool lead teacher for the Taupō Kahui Ako/Communities of Learning.
Team Whenua leader Keryn Saville said experiences in the area helped students to understand where they came from.
“Our school pepeha [introduction] opens with the line ‘ Ko Tauhara te maunga’ — my mountain is Tauhara.
“This walk gives our students a chance to actually live our school pepeha and bring meaning to it.”
The school has pupils from more than 13 countries, including 38 who speak English as an additional language.
Saville said it was equally important to give pupils from other cultures opportunities to learn about Māori culture and develop their sense of turangawaewae, or belonging.
The view from the top certainly gave the youngsters a good sense of place.
Whata Ratu, 9, said he was not put off by the tough track and was keen to climb the mountain again soon with his friends Ryder and Heemi, who were also on the trip.
“From the top, I could see all the town, the lake, everything.”
It was also the first time up the mountain for 9-year-old Iyah Maniapoto.
She said the hike was “a challenge” and a step up from her usual walks around the Waipāhīhī gullies and
Botanical Gardens at bush school.
She enjoyed the trip, noting her legs were “kind of sore, but good”.
Mikayla Blackbourne and Mia Bron, both 10, said although there were some “very steep hills”, it was worth the climb as “the best part was the view”.
Not everyone was tired out by the three-hour return hike to the peak, which is 1088 metres above sea level.
Flynn Robertson, 10, said he and his friends enjoyed “running down the hill” on the final stretch through farmland.