Tuesday, September 21

CI culture wows Takitumu kids



Takitumu primary school’s on the east coast of Rarotonga in Matavera and the teachers, pupils and parents recently enjoyed a great week celebrating Maori culture. The adults showed the youngsters how to play traditional games, and make toys, headbands, plates and other things from kikau (coconut palm fronds).
One day the entire school hired buses to visit local marae - parents and village elders were on hand to talk to the kids about the history of the places.
Friends and families sent along treasures like hats, tivaivai, pounders, necklaces and other traditional items to turn the school library into a culture museum for the week.
The children also learnt songs and dances for a show on the last day of culture week and then had a magnificent umukai – using the plates they’d made earlier in the week.
This first video shows the kids having a whole lot of fun learning how to weave kikau.