Taumata o Kupe on Te Mahurehure Marae is dedicated to the sharing of mātauranga Māori and embodying the epic journeys of Māori ancestors across the Pacific and within Aotearoa.
On October 8th, 2024, 120 Enviroschools Facilitators, Regional Coordinators and members of the National Enviroschools team came from across the motu, for three days of connection, sharing and learning at the National Enviroschools Energiser Hui. The venue was Te Mahurehure Marae nestled beside Waitītiko awa in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland.
This Energiser hui was of special significance, not the least because it was the first time in 7 years that the network has come together kanohi ki te kanohi. Our kaupapa embraces the principle of Empowered Learners and this hui focused on supporting participation in genuine and experiential ways, honouring creativity, perspectives and questions – supporting each other as a learning community to create meaningful change and hopeful action.
It began with a pōwhiri led by members of Te Mahurehure welcoming us on to the beautiful marae and cultural centre, followed by the sharing of delicious kai and the natural whanaungatanga that happens when people relax and eat together.
A strong message came through Christine Panapa’s (Ngāti Pūkenga/Ngāti Tūwharetoa/Ngāti Maniapoto) kōrero around the importance of resilience, whanaungatanga and support. Christine’s parents were amongst the original founders of Te Mahurehure marae in the late 1960’s. She and many of her whānau have been involved in phenomenal fundraising efforts over the years to create the innovative space it is today.
“Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou ko ngā kaiururangi o tō tātou kaupapa! All of you on the Enviroschools National Team do such an amazing job of providing nourishing, inspirational, fun, connecting, thought provoking, collaborative experiences for us! I feel so fortunate to play a part in this kaupapa. No reira, ngā mihi kou atu ki a koutou”
Harko Brown has a large and captive audience.
Settling into a programme of rich and varied offerings.
A mix of plenary, break-out workshops and creative sessions were offered to meet the various needs of participants working in different roles and sectors of education. Those gathered got to hear about the history of the Enviroschools Programme, the evolution of Toimata Foundation and the evolving resources. we were fortunate to hear from Nick Hawke’s (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei) who shared a moving kōrero covering some of the history of mana whenua in Tāmaki, and local pūrākau.
The event included inspirational guest presenters offering creative workshop sessions such as yoga, dance and raranga. A highlight for many was the series of interactive workshops with Harko Brown who shared the joy of nature-based connection and play, weaving in traditional Māori games and experiences.
Roimata, National ECE support, facilitates conversation around Holistic Reflection.
National Facilitator Support Beccy guides a discussion about Holistic Reflection.
“Ka nui te aroha ki a koutou katoa. I came away from the hui feeling much more confident in my role in response to the changes to the reflection process and the new activities designed for ECE that any facilitator at any stage of their development can pick up and implement with great ease. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process from day one through to the end and have come away with feelings of a renewed commitment and inspiration for the kaupapa”. – Teresa Redington
Natalie Hemapō Couch (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa) helps participants with harakeke weaving.
Karla Brodie (Kāi Tahu) leads a yoga movement session.
The puna depicted an estuarine ecosystem with shallow, peaceful energy and gently-shelving shoreline, from land and fresh to salt water.
A theme that developed throughout the hui was ‘me he wai’ – flow like water. This was expressed through a beautiful puna mātauranga (pool of knowledge) using the metaphor of a (locally relevant) estuarine ecosystem. At various points throughout the hui, icons related to the estuary were used to reflect on learning or record next steps.
This hui was an important opportunity to come together kanohi-ki-te-kanohi after a number of years reliant on online events and sharing. How wonderful to eat, sing, laugh and learn together again! Break times were loud with the buzz of new and renewed connections.
A table full of enthusiastic facilitators enjoying the fun of the evening quiz.
Sharing successes and overcoming challenges with great ideas.
The event couldn’t have happened without the awesome Tāmaki Makaurau Sustainable Schools team who supported the Toimata team with planning and preparation for the event.
“I had never been to an Energiser hui before, and I cannot overstate how easy Toimata were to work with. As a team, you really brought positive energy and exceptionally good planning to the event. The way all you created and held the space, and kept the flow going… You are an incredible team, and I feel honoured to be part of this beautiful, ever evolving and growing kaupapa.” – Susan Hutchinson-Daniels, Regional Coordinator, Tāmaki Makaurau
The final reflection on the puna mātauranga was recorded on images of the matuku moana (white faced heron) to symbolise flying forward with new ideas and next steps after being nourished by their experiences at the hui ecosystem. Energy was high and many hugs shared during final farewells, with people voicing the hope of having the opportunity to gather together again in the not-too-distant future.
“Thank you for all the mahi that goes into designing this hui. I think one of the best re-energising hui! A good mix of listening/doing/interacting and some tangible stuff all can apply to their mahi. So important to connect and reflect.” – Andrea Taylor
A collation of the words each region came up with as part of our closing reflection.
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