Mttoa is an education program that Te Kura Kaupapa Moi o Kaikohe in Far North has created. Whnau from kura wanted educational programs that would encourage their Tamariki to learn and connect with the environment.
Mttoa is an education program that connects tamariki to their environment. Students learn skills such as hoe waka (canoe paddle), mau rkau, traditional Mori games, mra-kai (gardening), water safety, and mau rkau. Their philosophy is to help each student find their inner Maui.
However, the program has grown and now serves more than two-and-a-half thousand students over ten years since it was moved to Auckland.
Frank Haimona, Ngpuhi Tai ki Tmaki, is the programme facilitator. He says he wants to get out of the traditional classroom setting and connect with the community. rangatahi(Youth) to the environment.
It started by engaging Rangatahi tauira to follow different paths than they usually did. Coast to Coast endurance events and getting our children back into the game are two ways we have used this strategy. taiaoHaimona explains that this environment is for learning and connecting with other things such as the awa, the taiao, and the maunga.
Kingi Peterson (Ngti Kahu Whangaroa Ngpuhi), is the programme facilitator. He says Mttoa is an elite athlete. tpuna(Ancestors) traveled long distances on foot and by waka.
Twhitia te hopo, mairangatia te angit(Feel fear and do it anyway! Peterson says that this is what we are seeing with our rangatahi, tauira, and other animals at the moment.
Being out in the Taiao and being able to step outside of their comfort zone is a great feeling. They are calling on their adventurous side.
Instead of learning about places on a map the students were taken to South Island by Ngi Tahu Iwi.
“Matua Kauraki has been showing me around his whenua (land). We have been collecting pounamu. We have been to his mara.e, it’s one the most flash we’ve ever seen. Haimona says that there is more pounamu in those pou’s eyes than in Tmaki.
Peterson states that the tamariki learn geography, geology, and languages in terms of education. “In terms of Kai Tahu’s different dialects, a lot of children didn’t know much about Kai Tahu at all.” Come down to experience it all and also to discover your own. honongaHe believes that the connection (connection) to this area is also one of his greatest learnings.
The connection with the Taiao is vital, but so is the connection. kaumtua (elders).
Raurukitahi Mene (Ngi Te Rangi Ngti Kuri), is another programme facilitator. He started a Zoom program with the kaumtua after he noticed that they were all alone when he dropped food parcels to them.
He says that they couldn’t go out to do their normal stuff. They couldn’t walk to the park or go to the library. We thought we’d create a zoom programme to have some chit chat.
Mttoa hopes that thetaiao lessons will be expanded to the sea and snow, as well as the stars.
