Week 10

Over the last week all the year 7 classes have been learning about Matariki (the Maori New Year). Here are some of the things they did:
Haka-
A Haka is a Maori war dance performed before battle to scare the enemy and warm up, it involves slapping ones body and chanting loudly.
Poi-
The poi is a ball in the end of a string, that is waved around one's body. Pois were used to strengthen wrists.
Flax weaving-
Flax is a long thin leaf growing on a flax bush. It is often weaved into many different shapes.
Kai-
Kai is the maori word for food, this group prepared a hangi lunch for the Year 7's.
Observatory-
The observatory group focused on the constellation of Matariki and went to the observatory to see it.
Museum-
This group went to the Otago Museum and went to the Starlab (an inflatable dome with stars inside) to look at the constellation of Matariki.
Stick Games-
The maori stick games involve clapping sticks together and passing with a partner sitting opposite.
Art (Number 1)-
On large pieces of material a combinatoon of Matariki and Nigel Brown art was painted.
Art (Number 2)-
After being assigned to a page of a story the people repainted the art on that page and then put together in a photo story.

Grant