Whare

Matua Grant came to our Rimu Hui and told us a few things about the Whare. Here is my blog post about what he told us. Enjoy.





Te whare wananga o Te Maro

The whare is like a body. The long piece of wood that runs along the top of the Whare is called Tahuhu, the backbone.

Heke ribs The smaller pieces of wood that come off the Tahuhu are called the Heke, the Ribs.

The outside pillars represent arms.

The inside is like the inside of a body.




The wooden figures outside of the Whare represent three Iwi. The top is from Takitimu Waka. The middle one is from Matua. The one on the bottom Is from Ngati Pukenga. They hold a rope which represents the houses of Tauranga Intermediate. The nails in the head of the one on the top is used by carvers to represent hair. Statues like this always face North, as thats the way the sun rises.






He also told us about the carving outside the classrooms of Matai. The head represents an ancestor, and the arms branch out from the sides. The paintings also represent the different classes. There is a tuna, a crab. A mako, shark. And an Eel. Then there is the Tuatara. They are the names of the classrooms in Matai.

Valentines Day

St Valentines was a Roman priest who was secretly organising weddings for soldiers. He was jailed then sentenced to death by the King on February 14th AD 270. We exchange cards, candy, gifts or flowers, with our special valentines. A special valentine is someone that you love.


Americans spend up to 3.6 billion dollars on Valentines gifts each year. 50 million roses are sold each year on Valentines Day. 73% of people who buy flowers for Valentines day are men and 27% are women.15% of the US women send themselves flowers on Valentines day. Eros is the greek god of love and his roman form is Cupid.

Waitangi day

Why are these people carrying this banner?

I found out some facts about the history of Waitangi Day. Let me share the information I found with you. 

The Waitangi Treaty was signed on the Sixth of February, 1840.

It became official in 1934.

Afterwards, It became a Holiday in 1974.

It was signed by many Maori Tribes, and 240 people.

There were a few English men that witnessed this being signed; James Bussby, Henry Williams, Richard Taylor, John Mason, Samuel Ironside, and finally James Stuart Freeman. 

There were Nine copies of the Treaty made.

People protest to remind the government to pay back the land they stole. 

The treaty was made to symbolise peace between the Maori and the Brittish. 

Thank you for taking your time to read what I collected. 

Book Review

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Even More Writing

 A Winter Tradgedy

Ruby barked, her white pelt flying in the wind, her brown spots dancing on top of it. She tugged on her lead, dragging me roughly towards the beach. I could barely hold on! I felt my hands weaken on the leash and clutched at it helplessly. It slipped out, me struggling to catch up to her already as she ran off. “Ruby! Come here!” I yelled.

She ignored me and raced towards the waters edge, urging it to chase her. The wind slapped my face with invisible hands and the tangy taste of salt caught on my tongue. The beach was deserted, it being winter and all, and I wasn’t in the mood for getting wet. “Ruby!” I yelled again, exasperated. Her ears perked up, listening then she started sulkily stomping back. Suddenly a small flash of black caught my eye, and Rubie’s too, as she stopped walking towards me, and raced off after the small dog that had raced into the waters edge.

He seemed almost to be saying “Come on Ruby, I dare you to go in deeper.”

I looked up at the angry clouds above me, and had second thoughts about coming out here. I glanced up at the dogs, afraid of what I might see.

What I did see was the sand turning up, the water going as black as night. Ruby was a rocket I couldn’t stop. Not now anyway. I saw her going in deeper, her legs lifting off the ground. A wave formed on the horizon and I gasped, sensing a storm arising. It came closer, and Ruby gave a small yelp of fear as she was pulled out with the current, towards the growing wave. I saw her little legs spin helplessy underneath the surface and I sat down on a log, watching my poor dog be washed away. After a while, she met the wave, and it came down on top of her with a CRASH! I watched her being jumbled around like a piece of  plastic and then washed closer to ground, then pulled away again, a cat playing with a mouse. I shivered, the cold getting to my bones. I pulled my jacket over my shoulders and watched my small dog being tossed around. Then I remembered the other dog, the black one. I ran up to it, and pleaded with it, stupidly. “Oh, please dog! Save my little  Ruby!”

It cocked it’s head, then started trotting away, off the beach. The small glimmer of hope in my heart died down as Ruby floated away, out of sight. I put my head in my hands and cried, ashamed that I didn’t save her, that now she would die, and it was all my fault.

More Writing

A day at the beach

SC: Exciting verbs, Adverbs, and adjectives

      Use one Simile, one metaphor,  onomatopoeia and personification

      Alliteration

I made soft footprints in the crisp sand as I strolled towards the crystal clear water. The sun gave my skin a bronze colour. The water lapped around me peacefully as I waded in. My surfboard glided on the surface, and I saw a wave form out in the Hawaiian ocean. My glistening blond hair shone like the sun, and my muscles rippled beneath my olive skin. I heard the wave punch the surface with a CRASH and I paddled in further, anticipating the next wave. I saw it form on the horizon, beautiful like a glass vase. It came nearer, and when I was almost face to face to it I quickly ducked underneath the water. It was like I was frozen in time. My surfboard slowly glided through the clear water. I saw beautiful fish, swimming majestically past me in a bouquet of colour. I tasted the sharp tang of salt on my tongue and felt the water lift my hair up. With my fingers I propelled myself forward and glided for a second, smiling.  The sparkling sand turned underneath me, and I heard the water crash above me, then I shot up quickly, a torpedo shooting up, until I hit the surface, then sun reflecting on the glistening water drops, crawling caterpillars on my back. I started to paddle back to shore with my prune fingers, and vowed to myself that I would come back the next day.

You can do it Team!

SC: Exciting verbs, Adverbs, and adjectives

      Use one Simile, one metaphor,  onomatopoeia and personification

      Alliteration

3,2,1, GO! I yelled out, giving the order to throw. Colourful balls flew through the air around me, and adrenaline raced through my blood. I drew my arm back, a ball in my hand. I felt my muscles tighten, and then I pushed my arm forward quickly. I let the ball go, and I watched it fly through the air. It hit someone’s head with the ball, and they threw the ball on the ground in frustration. A ball came flying through the air at me, it screamed at me as it went past and I bent my back to the side. WHOOSH I felt the ball fly past me. I felt like superman, proud as I realised my team-mates thinning out. I was one of the last ones left! I smiled happily, then bent down to pick up a ball rolling past my feet. I threw it with such force, that the person I hit fell onto the ground, clutching their stomach. They slunk slowly off the course, gutted that they had been hit. I bent down to pick up a ball, quickly, but when I was coming up a ball hit me on the leg. “No!” I yelled out as I realised what had happened. I was a mouse, slowly shuffling off to the ever growing line. I watched in desperation as my team was slowly taken out. When there was one person left, the opposing team took all the balls and threw them, most hitting her,  making her cry. She flopped to the ground. I watched her with sympathy, then congratulated the team half heartedly. “Good game.”

Superhero Story

This was a task in class. Enjoy my story.

Paragraph One

I growled, circling the robber. By white pelt shone against the night stars and the black stripes blended into the dark shadows. My narrowed green eyes stared menacingly at him. I growled out my words. “Put down the bag.” The robber shook and slowly lowered the money to the ground. “Now turn around slowly.” The robber did. I padded towards him slowly, making the tension last longer. Then, I sat down and hooked one gleaming claw into the back of his T-shirt. I lifted him off the ground, and hung him on the street pole beside me. “Now, stay here until the cops come, and, next time, try not to rob a bank.” The robbers pale face nodded, and he guiltily looked down at the ground. I heard sirens in the distance, and I changed into my panther appearance, slipped into the shadows and slinked away. Hi. My name is Ren. You wanted to hear how I got like this? Ok. I’ll tell you my story. I was the cool kid in high-school. We were going to a trip to the seaside. I was looking at the tide pools, collecting starfish boredly, when a fluoro-green one latched onto my arm. I yelled, flinging my arm wildly around, and it flew off, but the space around where it had been was glowing. I pulled my sleeve up around my arm, and wished I was a mouse. I didn’t know what was happening! Suddenly I started to shrink, then ground coming up to meet my face. I squeaked, and then I frowned in confusion. Did I just squeak? I thought to myself, and scurried to the waters edge. I stared at my reflection, and was speechless for a few seconds. The reflection before me was a white mouse with brown spots. I thought I want to be a human again!!!! And I shot up, and fell on my bum. “Okaaay...” I said to nobody in particular. Then I wanted to try something else. I thought, I want to be half human half white tiger! I changed, still the same size, but covered in black and white fur. “Okay, I can do that.”  Next I thought, human please. But nothing happened. That is how I got stuck like this. Now, for the rest of my story...

Paragraph Two

I could never change back. I tried everyday, and had to stick to the shadows. I helped people in need, but I never stayed for long. People had suspicions that this new “Tiger Hybrid” was the boy Ren. They were partially right. But not completely.I was still myself, but the tiger part of me wanted control. I used myself for good, but when I did anything bad, it was always hard to control the tiger part.

Paragraph Three

I started padding softly towards the cliff. I sat at the edge, watching the full moon shine down on my my strange tiger body. I yawned and settled down, when suddenly I felt in the spotlight. I thought I wish I was a panther instead of a tiger. Suddenly I felt my muscles becoming smaller, and my fur turned black. I sadly thought Human like I did every night. But nothing happened. I hung my head and sighed sadly. I thought one more time human… please. And my fur turned into a T-shirt and pants, and I yelled out happily. “Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!” I raced down the hill, towards the center of town like a crazed bird. “Everybody! I’m back!” I shouted into the streets. People poked their heads out of their windows, and a murmur started up. “Ren’s back.” I smiled, racing through the streets, my muscles rippling underneath my skin as I raced towards my home.

Paragraph Four

I flung open the door, and raced towards my mother’s room. I peered inside and then headed towards the kitchen. My smile fell off my face as I checked all the rooms, finding no-one. The house was silent, except for me racing around making the house a mess. Once the house was checked, I headed outside into the street. Camera men were running down the street towards me, and I swore, turning in the opposite direction, but camera men were coming up that way as well. I turned this way and that, and then jumped up onto the clothesline, then up onto a lamppost then did a flip onto the roof of the building. I ran across houses silently, then I heard a heartbreaking scream. “Help me! Somebody Help!” I stopped and started to run to the sound by instinct. When I turned the corner I saw a gang, circling Olivia, the girl I once loved. “Help! Somebody! Please!” She called out desperately. I started to run towards her, but I slowed as I realised I was just a human like everyone else now. I pondered my options desperately, and the police were now coming down the street. They would see me if I changed, and if I did change, I may never be able to get back to human form again. I heard a gunshot, and one of the policemen fell to the ground, blood splattering across the ground. I decided. I thought, Tigerman. I had a grim face as I fell onto four feet, and fur sprouted over my body. I padded out, and threatened them “Leave her alone.” Their faces went pale, but then the leader spoke. “Ooh pussy cat wants to fight, eh?” He raised his gun, aiming at my face. I smirked, then he pulled the trigger. I jumped, and thought,Please make this work. Cheetah. I morphed in mid-air and landed, then shot off to behind the leader. I clawed an artery in his neck, and scarlet blood poured out of him. I smiled in triumph and shot off to beside Olivia. “Ren” She said breathlessly. “Drop your weapons or, if you don’t...” I growled the threat out. The gang members faces went even paler, and all of them except one held onto their gun. “I said drop it.” He shakily lifted the gun up, and pulled the trigger. A hole exploded in one of my legs, and I winced in pain. He held his hand up for a Hi-five from his mates but they just turned tail and ran. I limped towards him slowly and curled back my lips to show him my sharp teeth. Then I pounced and broke his neck with a snap. Then I turned to Olivia and said “Sorry you had to see that.”  

“I-it’s o-ok.” She said shakily. Then the police ran around the corner. “I should go.” I said sadly, after turning into a panther. “No! Ren, it’s ok.”

“No. It’s not. They will put me in a zoo, or in a circus. I can’t change back into a human, Olivia.”  

“They won’t, Ren. You’re still a human under that fur.” She said, looking into my eyes.

“Ok.” I said. “I’m trusting you though.”

Conclusion

So, to make a long story short, I lived happily ever after. I moved in with Olivia, I went to school again, and was still the cool kid in school. People didn’t judge me for what I was, I just became cooler!

Maybe you might catch me sneaking around in the shadows after dark, if you’re lucky.

I hope you learnt about me, and not to rob a bank or splatter the streets with blood. See you.