Picking Harakeke (flax)

Kia ora, everyone can you guess were room 19 went last week? We went to the Omaru Creek straight across from our school. Our class went to Omaru Creek not only to pick flax but to learn the meaning of what you don't do and what you can do with it.

First Ms Tito gave us a korero (talk) about the flax. The main thing that she was wanting us to know was that the Harakeke was a taonga to the Maori.

One of the rules were that there were a family of harakeke in the bush. There are three harakeke and they are very special. There is a pepi (baby) harakeke in the middle and a Matua (Dad) on one side and a whaea (Mum) on the other side. If you cut these the whole plant will die.

When you cut harakeke always cut it diagonil. You never ever cut harakeke when it is raining or when it is night time because you might cut the Pepi.

When we got back as soon as we got started I had to go to quoir practice. It was a real number because I missed out. But that is all right I already know how to make a Putiputi (flour). It was amazingly fun picking Harakeke.

Flute making

At the end of this week some kids that finished all of their work got to make Koauau (the maori name for a flute).

First we had to cut our cube of clay in half with a string. We had to smack into a ball. Then we had to use a clay tool to cut the ball in half. It was very tricky using our thumbs and fingers to curve it like a bowl. The method was pinching the clay.


Then we had to use a special tool to put lines on the lip of the bowl. People call it criss cross. After that we had to use a toothbrush and some water to make the clay stick together. We had to do that on both halfs of the clay.

After that we had to stick the clay together and put our initials on the it. Then we had to wrap it up in plastic bags and tape it up because if we let it out without wrapping it up it would of dried out with the heat.

The next day we had to make a hole for the mouth. We used a special tool for it . The tool was sharp. I was blowing in the Koauau . We made three other holes as well. We had to rub it with the spoon (it was called burnishing) to make it shiny.

Stay tuned and read my next post. We are going to carve it.

D.L.O(Digital Learning Object)

School Picnic

The Pt England School Picnic
Last week on Friday Pt England School went to the beach. We went to the beach so that we can have a picnic. First me and my mate’s headed to the beach and we were dancing to the music. The weather was a little bit overcast , but that doesn't mean it rained it was just really cloudy but that was fine because i didn't want to get sun burnt.

Then we went down to the beach and made some clay heart’s but unfortunately I dropped my clay heart. It was a little bit windy at some time’s but other than that it was fine. Then it was time for team 1 to go in the water and swim. Just watching them made me want to swim , but we were going to be last at swim.

Finally after three hours it was our term to go and swim and jump of the rock’s. It was amazing. Then After that it was time for Karaoke me and my friends went up and sang. For the first time it was nerve racking. Then we had to go back to school.That was the end of the picnic.