Waitangi Marae!

Last Week we went to the Waitangi Marae! It wasn't the main Marae we went to, but, still it was loads of fun! On the photo to the right, is a picture of the outside of the marae. The large arm type things coming down from the roof. Well they are meant to be the arms of Teko teko who stands proudly on the top of the Marae.

When we went inside there were loads of Maori carvings. Infact so many that the walls were basically made out of them! We had to really respect it by keeping nice and calm, leaving our shoes outside the Marae, not running around, and most of all NO shouting.

Ngati Kawa was the man who told us about the Marae. He was reeeally nice. He told us that all the Maori carvings were to represent different stories. For example: There was a carving of a women (the god of the sea) with her eyes closed as if she was praying. On the other side of the wall was a man who looked just like the women. Some how it relates to a story! I don't know what the story is! After he showed us around. We left the Marae and got on our shoes and went for an hour and a half bush walk!

By Lily

Floatie fun day

On floatie fun day we brought our floating things to celebrate the last swim of the year at school. I brought my blow up ball and Rosa brought an earth ball.There were water guns and there were two big fat rings and all sorts of water toys.We were getting squirted. Then we swapped around so that the girls got the water guns - that was more fun! We swapped our floating water toys so everyone got a turn. It was a really fun day.The water was really cold too.

Samantha

Easter buns

We made hot cross buns with Mrs Avery our Bible teacher. The buns were soft in the middle and hard on the outside. They were delicious.

It was lots of fun making them. They have across on top because that is the cross that Jesus died on and Easter is about celebrating Jesus dying for our sins.

James

Bikewise

I liked doing Bisewise. I liked going through the cones and putting your hand out when you went in a circle - that was a little bit hard. You had to practise your bike riding so you could pass the Pre Road test. I passed it. And we hand to learn about riding your bike on the road and we had another test and I passed it too. It was cool riding our bikes around at playtime and lunchtime.

Thank you Mr Watts, it was cool.

Piripi

Waitangi mangrove boardwalk and Hururu waterfalls.

We went on the Waitangi mangrove boardwalk. It took one hour and I was hungry and thirsty . Like I was a cave man. The walk was very long and I felt very, very lost cause we just kept on walking. We saw some sand that looked like quicksand, we saw the mangroves growing in the mud and a humongous waterfall. The walk was a bit tiring but I still liked it, I would have liked it more if it was a shorter walk.

Kiarnan

Waitangi Maori Canoes

We went on a tour with Ngati Kawa and Mrs Brown.

We went on a bush walk that was about ten seconds. When we got to the other side there was a bunch of waka .

There was a huge waka and three small ones.

The huge waka could fit 120 people in it that's quite big - I mean huge.

We all saw the tree that the waka was made out of. We sat on the trunk of the tree and all of us fitted quite easly. We had a photo and then we all went to the small waka.There was one in the middle one on the right and one on the left.

We lifted the waka. Ngati kawa said "He" and we said "Hi"then lifted it.

We went down to the beach and Joanna pretended to be Mrs Busby and some other kids from school welcomed her.

Then we went for another walk and saw a huge flag pole.It had a New Zealand flag , trading flag and a British flag.

Nicky

Russel Ferry and Swimming

Today we went on the ferry to Russell. We went to where the Pompallier house is. Then

we went swimming. Most people swam along way to the tiny wharf in the middle of the water. It was a long swim and I mean long long swim! I felt really really tired when I got there. I jumped off the pontoon again and again - it was so cool! Everyone was jumping off and swimming, it was the best fun I've ever had swimming.

Max

Easter play

In Bible with Mrs Avery we did an Easter play.Nicky was Jesus and I got to dress up as a Christian lady. Everyone got to dress up and act in the play. Piripi, Matthew and James were the soldiers. Pharoah was the King.

Jesus was killed on Friday and the soldiers put him into a cave and rolled a rock against the door. He was dead but three days later on Sunday he came back to life.

That is why we celebrate Easter.

Nyah

THE OLDEST CHURCH IN NZ

On the second day of our Waitangi trip we caught a ferry to Russell. We visited the oldest church, it had bullet holes from the muskeets when the Maori and European's had been at war. They were very bad shots and they hit the church.It is still being used today. Most of the bullet holes did not make it through the wall. Outside of the church was a cemetery, we washed our hands before we went in and the same when we went out. One bullet hole was high up and made it through .The inside was super colourful, it had pillows on the seats and each had their own design.

Michael

by the michaelater

SURVIVOR ROOM 4

Last week Room 4 did Water Safety Survivor and we wore gumboots, jeans and jackets in the swimming pool.

I wore Samantha's big, gluggy jacket and her boots.I was soooo heavy that I thought I was about to sink and then .... I NEARLY DROWNED.I was kicking but it was hopeless .

I had to get the boots off, so I kicked off the boots and slipped off my jacket. I could finally breathe. Now I know what to do if I fall into any water because you can buy more gumboots not another you so if you fall into water kick your gumboots off and take off your heavy jacket or jumper so you will survive. I survived falling into Tomarata school pool!

By Abbey

Oromahoe marae

Last week we went to Oromahoe marae and I loved it.

When we arrived we lined up at the gate and the boys went at the front. Then they started to call us onto the marae, it was kind of like singing.

We walked into the marae and looked at the ancestors. Then we sat down and the elder started to speak to us in maori but we didn't understand a word of it. When he spoke in English he was making fun of Tomato School and we all laughed.

We played outside for a while and then we had spaghetti bolognaise and apple crumble for pudding, it was yummy and we were very hungry.

We spread all the mattresses out in the hall. The girls were in the marae. It was like a really big slumber party but I couldn't sleep because there was a lot of snoring!

I will always remember my visit to Oromahoe marae.

Joseph

THE TREATY HOUSE

On Thursday we went to the Treaty House to see the Treaty and learn about Waitangi. Mr and Mrs Busby lived at the Treaty house at Waitangi. Mr Busby wrote the Treaty and asked all the chiefs to sign it. They came to Waitangi to sign the Treaty and we saw Mrs Busby's tree which was a huge pine and the flag pole. Inside the Treaty house we saw muskeets and the things that the Maori traded with the Europeans like kumera's and food. We saw were Sarah Busby slept when the maori saved her from a group of people fighting and we saw a copy of the Treaty.

Kaleb

athletics day

Two weeks a go we had athletics. Saffy got a place in the 100 metres 50 and 75. Darcie came fifth in all the races. Darcie felt happy to come fifth and Saffy felt happy because she came second twice and third once! Saffy came in all the finals. I felt good for Saffy for coming in the finals! I bet she was happy for coming third and second. Darcie was happy watching Saffy and her friends running in a race. Darcie and Saffy were yelling "Go Tomarata!" Some of Tomarata were in the lead - it's Darcie and Saffy, yes some of Tomarata are in the lead.

Then me and Saffy ran back down to do the next activity which was high jump. One of the ladys said "If you are in the high jump finals come and line up." I wasn't in the finals so we practised.

I enjoyed athletics day, it was fun.

Darcie

POMPALLIER HOUSE!!!

On Friday the 26th of March we went to Pompallier house. We had one helper who showed us around and told us about the things inside the house. We saw an old prnting machine and a vat with bark, and urine for tanning. Michaela got to pull out the bark dye that they were using for tanning and it smelt bad... really bad!

We went into the printing workshop and choose a metal letter each. They were used to make the letters in the printing. She showed us how to ink up the printing and Tamson used the printing press to make a picture of the olden day printers.

I liked the dead rats, they were mummified by the lime they used to make concrete - concrete rats...ha,ha,ha!

Rosa