After seven years, Tauranga Primary School has erected and unveiled two pou telling the history of their rohe. Photo / George Novak
After seven years, Tauranga Primary School has erected and unveiled two pou telling the history of their rohe. Photo / George Novak
After seven years and hours of work put in by about 50 contributors, Tauranga Primary School has unveiled two pou that represent the whakapapa of the land the school sits on.
Each year since 2013 selected Year 6 students have worked on the pou, helping with the carving, painting and varnishing during their lunchtimes. Those who started the project will be nearing the end of high school today.
The pou now stand boldly, mirroring each other at the entrance of the school's two sites on either side of Fifth Ave watching over the children as they enter the school each morning.
The project, which was started by Tauranga Primary technology teacher Tim Smith, was led by the school's lead teacher Nick Adams.
He said although the pou took years to complete it was well worth the wait as they created a stronger sense of tūrangawaewae (belonging).
"That is a connection to where you are, that is really important in Māori culture because it had an oral way of learning. And when you sit in places of significance you learn," Adams told the Bay of Plenty Times.
"We wanted that for the kids so they can actually tour our site but when we first did this it was just a project, so it's cool to be adding to the history."
There are elements of European History around the school as it was first established as a Missionary School in 1835. It is hoped the pou would help pupils better understand the history of Tauranga.
History had always been taught but Adams, of Te Aupōuri and Te Ātiawa descent, believed it needed to be from a local angle.
The two pou represent Tauranga Moana stories, including Taurikura - a chief's daughter whose story also features in carvings at Huria Marae, which Adams said was "significant" given the school's links to the marae and its hapū, Ngāi Tamarāwaho."
Adams said Ngāi Tamarāwaho, a Ngāti Ranginui hapū, helped immensely in the process of telling the story and kaumatua Tamati Tata was there to bless the pou as they were unveiled last month.
The other pou tells the story of Mauao.
"There's a story on the back of the pou and the kids have to try and find pieces of the pou that represent parts of the story."
Adams says the children have enjoyed knowing they have been part of such an important part of the school.
Tauranga Primary School principal Fiona Hawes. Photo / File
Principal Fiona Hawes said the pou, which were born from an idea to signify the entry to the technology centre, were a great way to connect the school with Tauranga Moana.
"They were looking at a waharoa [entrance] project, making a gateway into our technology centre but, over time, things change and then it became a pou project with the two pieces of the waharoa becoming our pou," Hawes said.
"It's really important for us to have a narrative around our school sites and the two legends that are retold on the pou connect us to Tauranga Moana."
