Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui Trust

Ngati Ruanui Youth Connect with History

This week a delegation of 50 young people of Ngati Ruanui are embarking on an historic trip to Dunedin to connect with their history dating back 140 years.

The youth are a mixture of students from Ngati Ruanui 2nuicode STEAM Program, Hawera High School, Patea Area School and Ngati Ruanui Te Kura Kaupapa.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer Kaiarataki of Ngati Ruanui said, this trip gives our youth the opportunity to travel to the place of our Tupuna (ancestors) who suffered imprisonment from 1869, seeing and talking about the conditions in which they were kept and the hard labour undertaken. It’s all about understanding the impacts of NZ Land Wars on whanau and whakapapa. Also to learn that during such tragic adversity compassion and hope can rise as that extended from the local Iwi Ngai Tahu to our Tupuna.

Nicola Ngarewa Principal of Patea Area School said it’s an absolute privilege to be travelling with Ngati Ruanui, staff, students, whanau and Kaumatua from across our region. Sharing the journey of our ancestors and commemorate the valuable lessons of our past. Experiential and authentic learning for our young people at its best highlighting the opportunity that our NZ curriculum offers us”.

Hawera High School Principal Rachel Williams is very supportive of the Hikoi. Rachel said I am absolutely delighted that our students have the chance to be a part of this Hikoi. It is something they will cherish forever. As a school community we look forward to having them return and sharing their learnings with us.

Ngarewa-Packer said while in Dunedin the youth will lay a memoriam reef at the cemetery where many of those who were imprisoned were buried. They will be hosted by Otakou Marae and Edward Ellison whose ancestors looked after our tupuna during imprisonment.

They will also hear historical research from Darren Ngarewa and Tipene O’Brien, visit sites of significance, will hear stories from whanau and also will meet with the Mayor David Cull and the Curators at Toitu Settlers Museum.

Thanks to the support of Te Putake o Riri Funds, in partnership with Te Puni Kokiri, our youth will be completing vlogs and documenting a video to share with their schools and community upon their return.

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Te Putake o Riri | Wars and Conflicts in New Zealand Fund has been set up to support iwi, hapū and whānau to promote and deliver events and initiatives that commemorate the New Zealand Wars. End

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