Haere ra: Long-serving trio bid farewell to beloved Whanganui kura

Long-serving Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Tupoho staff members (from left) Tuaine Kotuhi, Kiwi Matthews and Mere Millar are bidding a fond farewell. Photo / Bevan Conley

Three staff members have between them clocked up more than 40 years of service to Whanganui school Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tūpoho - but now it's time to say haere ra.

Administrator Tuaine Kotuhi has been in her role for 18 years and dedicated cleaners Mere Millar and Kiwi Matthews have been employed at the kura for 13 and 10 years respectively.

"We all have mokopuna here and we get to watch them grow while we're at work," Kotuhi said.

Millar said it was "the tamariki that have made the job enjoyable".

"We have had to be very stringent with the cleaning this year because of Covid-19 restrictions and tamariki have been really good about supporting the hygiene rules. They are still using the hand sanitiser every time they go in and out and we don't have to remind them."

Matthews said she was employed by former tumuaki (principal) Stuart Kawau.

"I was here to collect my mokopuna and he asked me if I was available," she said.

"I asked him when he wanted me to start and he said 'tonight'.

"I never expected that I would do the work for 10 years but I've loved it."

Tumuaki Tim Tukapua said the long-serving staff have provided fantastic support and continuity for students and staff.

"They are very much part of the fabric of this kura and we will miss seeing them every day.

"It is not really goodbye though because they are family and will still be part of the school whānau."

Mere Millar and Kiwi Matthews at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Tupoho prize giving this week. Photo / File

Millar and Matthews have already wound up their employment at the school, but Kotuhi will be back next year to train her replacement.

"We will do a hand-over during January so I can walk the new person through all the aspects of their role," Kotuhi said.

"Obviously there have been a lot of changes to the administration role over the time I've been here. I have really enjoyed updating and refining things as the kura has grown."

When the first Kōhanga Reo centres opened in Whanganui in the 1980s, founders had the vision to extend Te Reo Māori education to primary and high school kura. Te Kura o Kokohuia in Matipo St was the first and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tūpoho began as a satellite school with five students in 1996.

Kotuhi said it has been a privilege to witness the growth over 18 years and see her own whānau members grow and learn with it.

Although they will still be involved with the school, retirement will provide opportunities for the three to do other things.

"I had envisaged travelling overseas," Kotuhi said.

"We can't do that at the moment so I will visit some of the lovely places in Aotearoa."