Whānau Group
Mihi: E nga reo, e nga mana, Tena koutou katoa. He mihi whanui tenei ki a koutou e awhi nei i tenei kaupapa. He putanga tenei mahi rangahau na koutou. No reira, e rau rangatira ma tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.
We are a group of Island Bay families focused on strengthening Tikanga Māori – in the lives of children and ourselves; within the school and within the community.
Our purpose is through whakawhanaungatanga, we build community and honour people where they are, for who they are and for what they are.
Meetings are a chance to get together, to learn and practise te reo and tikanga (mihi, pepeha, karakia, waiata etc).
No prior knowledge is required; just enthusiasm.
We focus on four core events through the school year:
Mihi whakatau (at the start of each term)
Matariki (Aotearoa New Year);
Noho marae (towards the end of the year), and
Mihi whakamutunga (at the year’s end).
We also spend some time singing the school song, playing guitar/ ukulele, talking and sharing kai.
Bring along a plate and your whānau. We have two meetings per term.
Na te Whānau Group
Protocol - Kawa
What is a mihi whakatau?
The mihi whakatau is a traditional Māori welcome ceremony. The purpose of the mihi whakatau is to remove the tapu of the Manuhiri (visitors) to make them one with the Tangata Whenua (Home people). It is a gradual process of the Manuhiri and the Tangata Whenua coming together.
It is similar to a pōwhiri, but less formal and more flexible. It’s used in many different contexts and can be adapted to suit many types of occasion.
Mihi Whakatau at Island Bay School
New children and their whānau (the Manuhiri) meet at 8.55am in the Learning Hub for a briefing on protocol and to practice the waiata (song).
Children in the Kapa haka group should go to class to be marked off the roll, then meet at the hall at 9am to get ready.
The Mihi Whakatau starts about 9.15am and takes around 40 minutes.
When the Mihi Whakatau starts, the manuhiri are called into the hall by the Karanga, led by our Y6 ākonga. Women and children enter first, followed by men. Manuhiri sit together on one side of the hall.
Everyone remains standing for the waiata. During the song, both sides hongi.
When the Tangata Whenua sit down, this is the cue for everyone to be seated.
The Tangata Whenua speaker will give a speech, which is followed by a waiata.
The Manuhiri side then speaks. This is followed by the waiata that the group practiced earlier.
It is customary to share kai (food) afterwards, so new families and staff are invited to stay for morning tea in the staffroom.
