Carved Away

By Harata Sidney


The children of rooms seventeen and one were famished by the time they got to Orakei Marae. They gobbled down food then waited at the Mahau of the Marae.

A women, whose name was unknown, came rushing out and asked, “Do you have a responder?”

“What for?” asked a confused looking Mr Wilson.

The woman replied, “The responder for the karanga, but it looks like you don’t have someone. Never mind then.”

The children sat in orderly lines in the Wharenui and listened to a beautiful waiata and even sang as well. They also listened to the amazing historyof the marae. Ms Lawson asked if the children were going to do anything else while at the Marae, but, for some reason the woman thought everyone was staying for lunch, but Ms Lawson explained that everyone had to leave in fifteen minutes.

Most children thought that the chopped up tree was interesting because it was the One Tree Hill tree, and not many other people knew what happened to it. It would eventually be carved and given to another Iwi.

The children were told of a hut called Te Koha. Kaumatua Bob said that a man carved and built it for his wife. But when she died, he didn’t know what to do with it, so he gave it to the Marae.

The children were leaving the Marae in a formal way, but some were disappointed that they didn’t do any hands-on activities, but for other kids it was interesting.

The Trip To The Orakei Marae

By Rogan Lang Frazer


When Rm 17 when to the Orakei Marae they were welcomed by a Whaea that sang to them in Maori about the big war that happened thirty years ago, it was WWII. Then when they were inside they learnt about the Fire last Year and Maori heritage.

Then they got told about the Maori Waka, this can hold one hundred and eighty, one hundred and twenty to row and sixty to rest in the middle. They learnt the One Tree Hill tree wood is there drying out for a new carving going around New Zealand.

Then they said goodbye and said thank you to the bus driver, parents that help out ,and then went back to school.

Come On Guys Get Maori Wise

By Thomas Robson

On a dead hot day a bus pulled up outside the Orakei Marae and out jumped a rowdy group of Ponsonby Intermediate students.

They all lined up in lines outside the marae awaiting to be welcomed onto the marvellous marae. Bob and Whaea lead them into the wharenui (meeting house). It was immaculate with all the carvings. Bob and whaea started to sing a well-known karanga (song). The students followed with a powhiri. It was not as good as they had just listened to.

After hearing a long hours worth of the marae’s history, the students were allowed to explore the marae. They all sprinted to a wonderful site. It was the tree from One Tree Hill. It was going to be carved and given to another iwi.

“Students, Ms. Lawson yelled, “Time to go.” Everyone jumped up and ran to the bus.

Two Classes and a Maori

By Niwa Sumich-Paul

After practising their waiata on the bus, a rowdy group of students from Ponsonby Intermediate piled off the bus at the Orakei Marae. As the students entered the meeting house (wharenui) they started to listen to the history of the iwi and what everything meant. The students sat for an hour and ten minutesd before being stunned by the daylight.

While the classes were shown around the marae there was a large tree cut into sections and the inquiring students were told that it was the tree from One Tree Hill. It was to be carve into ancestors and given to another iwi.

Tired and jittery the children from Room’s one and seventeen piled back onto the bus and drove off in a huffy cloud of smoke.

Orakei Marae Trip

By Saxon Kelleher-Moore

On a scorching hot day, Rooms One and Seventeen from Ponsonby Intermediate were welcomed with a karanga. As they walked they viewed the magnificent carvings of the marae’s ancestors.

The two classes walked inside and listened to the history of the marae. After the talk the students had a small tour around the marae. They saw the huge waka which could fit one hundred and eighty people inside.

The tree from One Tree Hill was also at the marae. It is drying out and going to be carved into one of the marae’s ancestors and then given to another iwi.

After Mr. Wilson took photos of the two classes the children thanked the people of the Orakei Marae and headed back to school.

Wow That’s Big

By Richard Pederson


As they hopped off the bus you could tell they were thinking WOW, that’s big because they were all looking at the huge Waka from Orakei Marae. They were students from Ponsonby Intermediate.

They were Room seventeen and one.They were all happy to finally get to Orakei Marae. Ms Lawson told the students to sit down and eat. Soon Mr Wilson told them that it was time to get up.

A woman came and welcomed them. Soon another lady was doing a Maori welcome. They were soon in a big Marae. The Elder told stories to the students.

Then they got up once again and walked outside. They were told about the Waka (boat). One hundred and twenty people were needed to row, sixty on each side and an extra sixty in the middle. The students were shown the tree from One Tree Hill that was going to be carved and given to another Iwi.

The students headed back to school on the bus.