A culturally significant Māori pou carving with a special backstory is taking pride of place at east Auckland’s Cascades Kindergarten, which is part of the Auckland Kindergarten Association.
The carving has been given the name ‘Te Kauwhanga’, which means ‘The Sacred Space’.
Along the bottom of the pou lie depictions of Papatūānuku, (Earth Mother) and at the top is Ranginui (Sky Father).
They’re separated by the force of Tane Mahuta, symbolised by the mighty kauri tree. In between are some of the creatures and plants chosen by the 2023 Cascades Kindergarten tauira (students).
Each creature found on the pou has a symbolic meaning. The pou was created by carver Donald Jessep and it’s since been blessed and unveiled at a ceremony at the kindergarten.
Jessep’s design of the pou and the toki, or carving tool, were blessed by local kaumatua.
Pandy Hawke, who at the time was the Auckland Kindergarten Association’s Enviroschools Lead, says the Enviroschools’ kaupapa is to create a “healthy, peaceful and sustainable world through taking action together”.
That philosophy is in “full bloom at Cascades Kindergarten, after the unveiling of the Pou ‘Te Kauwhanga’,” she says.
“The Enviroschools’ kaupapa was held up with mana/integrity as we heard stories shared from the first vision, where the seed was planted carrying the wairua/spirit of intention throughout the three-year journey.
“The kindergarten teaching team, guided by the principles of the sustainable programme, collaborated with mana whenua/indigenous peoples of the land to bless the rākau/tree from the Awakeri swamplands, and also the toki/tool which carved the rākau.
“We’re very grateful to the Kaiwhakairo/carver Donald Jessep, who dedicated much of his time and hard work voluntarily to creating the Pou called ‘Te Kauwhanga’/ The Sacred Space.”
Hawke says the taonga will speak to the responsibility all people have to respect and protect the mauri/lifeforce of the biodiverse ecosystems of “the natural world, the animals and flora/fauna that dwell within, may they forever be preserved”.
“Itiiti rearea, teitei kahikatea ka taea – Although the rearea is small it can ascend the lofty heights of the Kahikatea tree.
“This whakataukī is used to encourage each other with the thought that if a small bird can expend its energy to obtain food and achieve its goal then surely, we can also with a lot of effort achieve our goals.”
The ancient kauri rakau (wood) that was gifted to Cascades Kindergarten for the pou turned out to surprise all involved by its age being carbon-dated by the University of Waikato at over 55,980 years old.
Cascades Kindergarten kaiako (teacher) Navaz Mistry began the project by following tamariki (children’s) interest in making cardboard pou whenua.
A team vision evolved to work on a carved pou that built on and extended everyone’s understanding of te ao Māori worldviews.
She says that aligns well with the kindergarten’s Green Gold Enviroschools goal of embracing their unique Māori culture and using te ao Māori ways of living to guide them in their daily practice.
Over the three-year period, tamariki contributed their ideas on what should be represented on the pou through drawings and sketches which they presented to Jessep.
All kaiako used intentional teaching practices to build on children’s Atua understandings through storytelling, waiata, visiting their local marae and hands-on learning that extended their desire to look after the Earth everyone shares with other living things.
Tamariki worked collaboratively with Jessep over the three-year period by inviting him to share in their mat times, visit the marae with them and having many korero (conversations) together.
Jessep brought elements of his carving into Cascades Kindergarten to show the carving process and see how the rakau evolved into Te Kauwhanga.
Regular updates by Mistry kept whānau involved in the process and motivated the community to fundraise for incidental costs involved in the massive project.
Through this team project, Te Kauwhanga will gear Cascades Kindergarten’s sustainable education towards shaping the next generation, who care about the environment and the planet they share.
It will also help instil generosity, selflessness, passion and enthusiasm for eco-conservation which they hope will bring about a cultural transformation in society.
