Embedded Files
SPACPAC Pacific Youth Awards
The SPACPAC awards evening in term 1 was an opportunity for our Pasifika students, parents, schools, and the wider community to celebrate our Pasifika high achievers for 2023-2024. The event took place at The Aurora Centre in Burnside. Big congratulations to Dormay Laufiso and our Year 9 and Year 10 Pasifika student leaders who received awards.
Dormay Laufiso - Mana Leadership Awards, Sporting Game Awards, and Community Engagement awards
Year 9 and 10 Pasifika Leadership - Cultural Navigator Awards, Messina Creative and Commitment to Wellbeing Award
Pasifika
This year, we were very excited and honoured to see so many Pasifika students join Te Aratai College.
At the start of term 1, we held our welcoming event for new and returning Pasifika students and their fanau, where the students enjoyed multisport events, a picnic, and having fun on a bouncy castle. We also had combined activities that were supported by our community. It was great to see the students meeting and welcoming new and returning families and trying new things.
During the year, many of our Pasifika students were involved in community events, leadership roles, taking part in sports, coaching, and cultural activities in and out of school.
On a personal note, I am very grateful to our head student Dormay Laufiso and Ruta Pesefea for all their hard work and support.
I would like to thank all our staff and our community for supporting our Pasifika students in all they do.
Naomi Faga and team Pasifika
SPACPAC Leadership Retreat With Our Pasifika Seniors
The leadership retreat brought together Pasifika senior school leaders from high schools across Canterbury. The students worked in groups to build and strengthen their identity as Pasifika in Aotearoa, which will also enable them to support others in their journey.
Children’s Day
On Sunday 3 March, our Pasifika students volunteered at Cuthbert's Green for Children’s Day. They helped with face painting and supporting parents and families as they moved around the various events at the park.
Pasifika Welcoming And Picnic
Our welcoming event was very successful. This was celebrated by students, families, community, and staff. Many of those who attended enjoyed playing on the bouncy castle. Big thanks to Sarah Millar from 24/7 and her team, as well as volleyball games organised by our Pasifika students, the amazing food that was kindly provided by Daisy Lavea-Timo (Cross-Polynate) and Taimalie Angeline Malae (University of Canterbury).
Polyfest
Polyfest was held on Saturday 16 March, at North Hagley Park. Our kura teamed up with Mairehau High School, bringing about 80 students to the event. It was a stunning show and the performance was made up of a few different Pasifika cultures, curated and choreographed by our Year 13 Pasifika Komiti.
It was a beautiful day. Feleti Pesefea and the team gathered at school, bussed in together, and managed to secure front-row seats. From their sweet spot, students walked and visited all the different stalls. The chop suey and potato spirals were favourites.
Samoan Language Week
The theme for our Samoa language week was 'Tautua i le alofa, manuia le lumana’i – serve in love for a blessed future.' What does the phrase ‘Tautua i le alofa’ mean? The concept of tautua focuses on the phrase – “serve in love”. No matter what service looks like or who is doing it, service is accomplished through the power of love.
This year’s theme aimed to express the significance of service that is founded on love. Tautua can only be achieved through consistent development. Similarly, the maintenance of language is also achieved through service - through our values of love, respect, and especially in the vā fealoa’i (respectful relationships) that protect Samoan people.
Throughout week 5 of term 3, there were a number of events and resources shared across our āoga, including an Ula lole workshop held in our quad, Gagana Sāmoa Ta'aloga on our football field and a umu prepared and shared on the back field throughout the Thursday. Umu is a traditional Sāmoan cooking practice where hot rocks are used to cook food. Students and staff were welcomed to watch and share in the process throughout the day.
Sāmoan language week concluded with a traditional form of cooking called an umu. The umu is where we heat up rocks on the ground and we place different types of traditional foods. All students in Sāmoan language classes participated in helping prepare the food and learnt how to cook it as well. We finished the day by sharing the food with the school and families.
Cultural Language And International Days
Cultural Language And International Days
We’ve had an incredible few weeks in term 3 celebrating the rich tapestry of cultures within our school and we want to share the highlights of our recent events!
Filipino Language Week
In week 6 we came together to honour our Filipino students with a wonderful celebration. A huge SALAMAT to everyone for making this week a success. Our Filipino students truly appreciated the recognition of their culture and heritage. Special thanks to Serge and Feleti for their hands-on support during the Filipino showcase, and to Principal Maria for her surprise performance that added to the festivities.
Hindi Diwas
In week 8, we celebrated our Hindi-speaking students with a vibrant event for Hindi Diwas. Observed on September 14th, this day marks the adoption of Hindi as India’s official language in 1949. With Hindi being the third most spoken language in the world, it was heartwarming to see students showcase their pride through performances and speeches. Special thanks to Archana and Neha for creating such a welcoming environment for our students.
Afghan Day - Jashn
In week 10, we celebrated Afghan Day, or Jashn, which brought together students and families connected to Afghanistan through language and heritage. This vibrant event highlighted the rich culture and traditions of our Afghan community, making it a memorable day for all.
Aupaki Cultural Festival
Aupaki Cultural Festival
Another wonderful festival with performances from our Community of Learning. The Aupaki Cultural Festival, featured tamariki from schools across our Learning Community: Heathcote Valley, Redcliffs, Lyttelton, Our Lady Star of the Sea, Te Raekura, Sumner and Mt Pleasent; as well as our own Te Aratai Pasifika and Te Aratai Kapa Haka performers.
All our ākonga showed great pride and passion in their performances and their hard work over the whole year was very evident. The support from our whānau was outstanding, thank you for coming down to be part of the celebration and for encouraging the rōpū.
Thank you to all the local kura who were part of the special occasion. The manaakitanga from all ākonga was greatly appreciated. This helped facilitate a successful rehearsal during
the day, and the Te Aratai students MCing, running the tech and welcoming everybody was amazing.
It was great to have the Te Aratai Junior Kapa Haka and the Te Aratai Pasifika groups performing alongside the Aupaki Primary kura. The Pasifika group was a particular highlight for the audience.
Diwali Celebrations
In November, we celebrated Diwali, a vibrant festival that holds great significance for our Indian community. Our students, alongside those from Kimihia Early Learning Centre, enjoyed a wonderful day filled with performances and delicious food. A heartfelt thank you to Kimihia Early Learning Centre staff for their collaboration and support in making this celebration a success.
Diwali, known as the festival of lights, is a multi-faith South Asian celebration which universally commemorates the theme of victory of good over evil. This time, especially for immigrants from the subcontinent, can be a time where the absence of whānau can be heightened. Spending time away from their extended families and their communities from their place of origin. Recognising this, celebrating this festival is a small gesture on our part to help children who are away from their culture gain a sense of belonging and acknowledge their cultural identity, which, as we all know, plays a fundamental role in the development of children.
At Kimihia, we commemorate this celebration by incorporating elements of the festivities. We understand the value of sharing each family's uniquely different cultures and traditions which is carefully planned to enhance the mana of the Indian community in the centre. Every year, we offer something new and exciting for our tamariki and our community to learn about the richness of one of the oldest cultures in the world and showcase some of the valued family traditions. In the days leading up to our celebration, all the children help to make some decorations, teachers set up lights around the centre, and we obtained permission slips signed from the parents for henna tattoos. We sent out our community invitations for people almost a month before.
On the day, the celebration started with a Gayatri mantra, (the Gayatri mantra is a sacred chant that demonstrates the unity that underlines manifoldness in creation. It is through the recognition of this unity that we can understand multiplicity. Clay is one and the same, though pots of different shapes and sizes can be made from it). This year, we included dance performances by Kimihia teachers to Bollywood music, which got everyone moving. Archana from Te Aratai College collaborated with us to showcase Indian dances including traditional folk dances. Students performed the Indian classical dance Bharatanatyam dance, originating from Tamil Nadu state and Bhangra traditional folk dance of Punjab.
The week leading up to the day also had fun activities for tamariki, such as applying henna, painting clay oil lamps (diya) and creating Rangoli - geometric artworks made of flowers, coloured powders and grains. Pooja Suryawanshi, a parent at our centre created a magnificent Rangoli pattern at the entrance. Kaiako shared stories about Diwali which supported children to understand the culture. Children were encouraged to wear dress from their own culture. Teachers also dressed in Indian attire.
All the attendees were treated to a traditional feast, including popular, much requested favourites, like our mango lassi and this year’s special Diwali lunch menu. The kai included butter chicken, chickpea curry and the rice and meat delicacy Biriyani, accompanied with crispy fry-ums and cool cucumber raita. The lunch menu concludes on a sweet note, with the popular rendition of a vermicelli pudding, the cardamom infused kheer.
Diwali is a time for unity, and we take the opportunity to invite those who form our community, such as our police support services, ambulance paramedics (support services), the people who have supported us to create a truly exciting learning community and not to forget the members of local and national government to take part in the festivities. Te Aratai College and Kimihia Parents' College also play key roles in our local community and actively participate in our celebrations, making this event truly inclusive of our whānau. The buzz is felt for weeks.
The day really had a really nice community feel to it and the music and decorations brought Diwali to life for our whānau.
Radhika
Centre Manager, Kimihia Early Learning Centre
Celebrating Our Cultural Diversity At Te Aratai College
This year, Te Aratai College has celebrated a rich diversity of languages and cultures, including Filipino Language week, Hindi Language week, Diwali, and Jeshyn (Afghan) Day, among others. By engaging with students about their whakapapa and encouraging them to share their cultural heritage, we’ve helped foster a strong sense of turangawaewae for all in our kura. Your support in creating an inclusive environment where ākonga can express their identities has enriched their learning experiences and strengthened our collective sense of belonging.
Our First Filipino Assembly
Emerging Ethnic Leaders Breakfast 2024
Te Aratai College was proud to have three of our student leaders—Smriti Parajuli, Dormay Laufiso, and Rita Rose Malabat—attend the Emerging Ethnic Leaders Breakfast hosted by the Ministry of Education. Nominated to represent our kura from the Migrant and Refugee Cohort, all three students were recognized with certificates for their outstanding contributions to both our school and their communities. A special mention goes to Smriti Parajuli, who was the only student among 35 from 17 schools invited to speak on behalf of the group. Her speech was exceptional, making us all incredibly proud of her achievement.
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