Recently Aorere College has looked back on a busy year of growing knowledge and understanding around their place and community. They have considered the values that underpin their mahi, what went well and what the challenges were and are now looking to the future.
With funding received from Auckland Council, the college purchased 4x macrocarpa garden boxes from Mitre 10, plus vegetable seedlings to begin their first crop of planting. With guidance from Pacific Vision Aotearoa, the Year 11 PE classes cleared the area between the Old Gym and TP1 to create space for the māra. This involved cleaning up rubbish, removing unnecessary items (e.g. tyres, bins) which had been dumped there, and clearing weeds.
A giant jigsaw puzzle.
Careful teamwork and power tool skills.
Freya Bullock, a teacher at the college, explains the process they have navigated for establishing māra kai, their mahi and next steps.
“As we had aimed for this māra to be constructed through an indigenous lens, Pacific Vision Aotearoa worked with our students to ensure indigenous knowledge was at the forefront of how we planted the garden. This included making use of a banana plant which was already growing in the area, using the leaves as mulch to provide nutrients and moisture to the ground before planting so that the garden boxes would have a healthy foundation.”
Pacific Vision Aotearoa also taught the Year 11 PE classes about the maramataka, kai sovereignty and kaitiakitanga as a reciprocal relationship with the environment, enabling students to understand their cultural identity within te taiao.
Getting the first crop planted.
Caring for māra kai.
Ready for harvest.
The aim was for the Year 11 students to do a handover of the māra for the junior health and PE classes, however time did not allow as a result of assessment restrictions. Taiao Rōpū have had some involvement as kaitiaki of the māra, with some Year 11 students giving their own time to water and look after the garden. Freya has also started a kaitiakitanga project with her Year 9 whānau class who are currently looking after the garden and will prepare it appropriately (with the guidance of Pacific Vision Aotearoa) to keep it healthy over the summer break (adding more banana leaves to help maintain moisture in the soil).
Additionally, the Year 9 and 10 Health and PE classes are learning about nutrition and kai sovereignty. Sonny Natanielu has lessons with each of the junior classes to teach them the significance of cultivation from a Pasifika perspective.
“Next year I envision this māra being opened up to more departments to make use of in their curriculum area (Health/PE, Māori, Science, Social Science, Languages, and Hospitality). This will ensure that the garden is well maintained and made use of in a variety of different learning areas. Sonny Natanielu has also mentioned that he has partnered with Auckland University to complete a soil safe project next year and would like to use our school as a participant of the study.” – Freya Bullock, Teacher
It is planned that Te Taiao Rōpū will have more involvement in being kaitiaki of the māra next year, regularly (ideally weekly) checking the garden and upholding necessary maintenance.
The māra kai project does not stand alone. It is part of an integrated programme of Environmental Education that includes learning in about and for the local waterways.
Over the past 5 years, Aorere College has been on an Enviroschools journey at its local stream, the Waokauri Creek. All 400 Year 9 students visit the stream at least twice a year to investigate and act to make a difference in their local community of Papatoetoe, by doing stream testing, growing and planting natives, releasing weeds and collecting waste that comes down in floods.
In May, rangatahi and tamariki from Aorere College and Aorere Kindergarten braved the weather to plant 1350 native plants at the Waokauri Stream together.
Tuākana Tēina
Observing and developing scientific knowledge.
“We have been helping our tamariki and whānau to develop the understanding of ngā taonga tuna, long fin eel and short fin eel living in our puna/creek and the natural environment around it. During this journey, we have strengthened our relationship with our tuākana kura, Aorere College, and joined in at their planting day and rubbish removal days.” – Hajra Sheikh, Teacher, Aorere Kindergarten
These plants had been raised from tiny seedlings in the college nursery, supported by Auckland Council’s Sustainable Schools, Park Ranger and Trees for Survival teams. The fourth year of planting takes the total to nearly 5000 plants, with some of the trees now taller than our current Year 9s – kaitiakitanga in action!
“A special shout out to Aorere College celebrating their 10th year with Trees for Survival, showing incredible commitment. This was demonstrated in full force during the potting on session held at the college after the term three holidays. The year 9 science classes had the opportunity to experience the fulfilling potting on process. There was camaraderie and a great sense of achievement as the classes took part. It was a true reflection of the sayings ‘teamwork makes the dream work, better together and many hands make light work’. Within 3 hours, 950 plants were safely potted on and placed in the school shade house. The transformative difference that the youth can see taking place through their own actions in their own community is highly motivational. The 950-plant mix of manuka, karamu, cabbage tree, Cyperus and Carex will make a wonderful contribution to the restoration work at Selfs Park.” – Kate de Groot, Trees for Survival, Auckland Council
Plants sourced and grown locally.
Mahi ngātahi.
“For me, it’s about showing how small actions by many people can make a big difference to counter apathy and disconnection from the community. It also provides a wonderful opportunity for students to take science skills that they learn in the classroom and use them in the world, to help them realise that they act as scientists all the time. The eDNA sampling is part of this, by making the invisible visible. It was a particular highlight for me when we managed to trap a banded kōkopu in a hīnaki, months after we had the clue that they were living in the Waokauri. Ultimately, I want students to develop a sense of agency – that they have a role in shaping the environment and community around them.” – Aidan Kiely, Head of Science
When asked what was challenging about the mahi at the stream, students commented about, “trying not to hurt the native plants while weeding around them” and “working efficiently enough given the time.”
Students mentioned the weather and how school uniform was not always the most comfortable in damp muddy conditions, especially on the sometimes slippery hill or rough ground. A common thread was around identification of both the native plants and the invasive plants – something that they noted as a future goal. They have also acknowledged the challenges around the logistics of visiting the stream given NCEA priorities.
Reflecting on the stream learning and actions, the College has identified some next steps:
- Learning about native plants and identification, providing more opportunities to learn about and look after the land
- Involving others in our kura to bring the community together e.g. PE or Arts challenge
- Placing rubbish bins in the area
- Clearing and making pathways so it’s easier to get around
- Going to the stream more often, observing change, and taking action e.g cleanups, remove rubbish and invasive weed species, on-going planting of natives
- Looking at what other subject classes can go to the stream
- Observing and monitoring: native fish, native birds, growth of planting
- Letting people know what we are doing for the environment
- Raising awareness and encouraging community involvement (including creating signage, hopefully dissuading illegal dumping, getting other kura involved in caring for the place)
- Fundraising for a trip
“We would like to encourage more community education on how to deter illegal dumping and highlight the work Aorere College ākonga are contributing to the awa.”
Rubbish dumping is a major issue that students want to address.
Aorere College spent time with Enviroschools facilitator Cate Jessep reflecting holistically at the end of the year, considering the learning and actions that have taken place and the differences these are making for their community. They used the Enviroschools Guiding Principles and Whole School Approach to help them share different perspectives, what went well and what some of the challenges were. Looking towards the future they have a lot of ideas for continuing their journey, that encompasses the nurture of people and nature, whakawhanaungatanga and strengthening sustainable communities.
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