Ashburton Courier: November 30, 2023

26 Ashburton
NEWS
Courier, November 30, 2023
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Pōwhiripublic workshop
BY JOHN PENEYCAD
A first­of­its­kind event will be coming
to Ashburton on December 9.
Experience aCulturalCompetency
workshop and atraditional Māori
welcome pōwhiri will be held in the
town.
The organisations behind the event,
Te Huka Tai Trust, Keep Learning
Mid Canterbury and Hakatere
Multicultural Council came together
as they were aware that some people
may be reluctant to go to the marae or
pōwhiri.
There is athought people may not
know what to do or feel they might do
the wrong thing. So, the organisers
wanted to create an event where
people could ask questions, learn
what happens at a pōwhiri, find out
what to do and what is expected of a
person.
The day is aimed at migrants,
people who are new to New Zealand,
as well as Kiwis or someone who may
not have had the experienceorare
just curious, but all are welcome to
attend.
The day will start with the workshop
at Community House, and there will
be adiscussion about all the details,
with any questions answered by the
facilitator, Michelle Brett, who is
chair of the Haketere Marae.
From there all the people will head
across to the Hakatere Marae for the
pōwhiri. This will be followed by
lunch and finallyending with arecap
or quiz to help with learning.
Learning Mid Canterburycoordinator
Kate White said she hoped
for agood turnout and was confident it
Hakatere Marae will be the base for learning about pōwhiri next month.
would be an educational experience
for all involved.
“A few organisations have come
together to make it happen as we feel
it is important for alot of people. It’s
about breaking down barriers,’’ White
said.
“I hope next year we can run
something about Tangihanga, to
likewise educate people who are
again interested.’’
Experience aCultural
Competency workshop and a pōwhiri
is at Community HouseonCass St
December9from 10am, followed by a
pōwhiri at the Hakatere Marae on the
outskirtsofAshburton, concluding at
2pm. The event costs $20 which
includes lunch.
Registration closes on Wednesday.
See events.humanitix.com/p­whiriexplained­and­experienced
for
tickets.
WATER SOURCE LEARNINGS
Teaching children where water comes from
and how to preserve it is among the term 4
topics being taught by Eco Educate in schools,
the programme’s co­ordinator Anthea Moore
says.
Eco Educate offers education, help and
support with arange of environmental
initiatives including garden workshops,
sustainability, compost, Bokashi, worm farms,
recycling and waste rethinking.
Moore, of Ashburton, said there were a
range of programmes being discussed in the
district’s schools this term, and into the new
year.
‘‘We are still into schools for term 4and
preschools as well talking about recycling,
worm farming, the water cycle to let children
know where water comes from and how to
preserve it.’’
In the January school holidays educators
will also be working with the Ashburton Public
Library ­intheir new facility Te Whare
Whakatere at Baring Square East ­and other
organisations on combined programmes.
Moore has been making mini worm farms
and giving out free seeds, seed potatoes and
recipes to promote no food waste to people
young and old.
Eco Educate educator Anthea Moore.
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