ICM at Paikea's home

The settlement of Whangara lies 26km from Gisborne in the region known as Te Tairawhiti, on the East Coast of the North Island. Its contemporary lifestyle stems from a history extending back to the Whale Rider Paikea’s arrival from Hawaiiki. Each hill, spring, stream and rocky outcrop has a name and a whakapapa.

Whangara School, a three teacher, 50 pupil school comprising years one to eight, is actively involved in many environmental programmes – including establishing a catchment-based teaching programme with the assistance of local Whitebait Connection and EMAP regional co-ordinator Murray Palmer. The project, Te Awa Ora Waiomoko, focuses on developing an understanding of the ecology, and facilitating the protection and enhancement of the Waiomoko River.

Students at Whangara School have researched different reaches of the river looking at its ecology, whilst also learning about the whakapapa of the awa, the catchment, and the tipuna that established there. They view the catchment and coastal environment as a whole system, and look at land use, erosion and other issues present.

As an action project, students were involved in a planting programme, which included education of some of the different traditional uses of New Zealand’s native plants. They also looked at other important areas for protection, restoration or enhancement within the catchment. This project was interlinked into the curriculum through an integrated teaching approach involving the science, mathematics, social studies, art, Māori, and English curricula.

Whangara School believes this approach, using traditional and contemporary knowledge as teaching contexts, greatly enhances our tamariki’s understanding of the natural resource base and environment, and provides them with good tools to support and develop their kaitiaki role as citizens of the future.

Plans are already afoot to fully utilise the resources of the EMAP Project to gain a greater understanding of the climate, soils, and the distinctive characteristics and biology of the land, river and ocean.