Middle School Explores Māori Engineering Through Remuera Hākari

Nestled on the cliffs above Hobson Bay in the suburb of Remuera, our Shore Road campus inherits the rich, cultural history of the land it is settled upon. Throughout Term 2, our Middle School students had the unique opportunity to learn a slither of Aotearoa’s history that transpired right on their school’s doorstep. The 1844 Remuera Hākari (feast) gathered manuhiri (guests) from Auckland’s surrounding regions, to Ngāti Whātua’s land to share in food, friendship, and discourse. 

In Social Science, our exploration began with understanding the significance of this feast and its historical context. Through historical images and research, students pieced together who attended these gatherings and what they were like, gaining a deeper appreciation for Māori traditions and community celebrations.

During Design Time, the focus turned to Māori engineering as students undertook the challenge of designing and constructing their own whata, traditional raised stages used for storing and presenting food. Groups of students across the three year levels collaborated to ensure that their whata were not only functional but also exemplified the ingenuity of using mountainous terrain as inspiration for their construction. Each structure had to accommodate 50 multilink cubes symbolising food, but could be planned and decorated as creatively as students desired, resulting in thirty-eight different shaped, sized, and adorned whata.

Applying some of our predecessors knowledge, at the completion of the unit we hosted our own Remuera Hākari feast to share connection and the projects our girls had completed. Students brought attire to best represent their heritage along with a small plate of food to share. The variety of samplings on offer showed the diversity within our school community. Our girls relished the opportunity to share about the foods that were their norm, but perhaps unfamiliar to their friends. The classes also had a stroll around the whata displays, each crafted with care and creativity.

By combining multiple learning disciplines into the inquiry, students enjoyed a  comprehensive and creative exploration of Māori culture, historic engineering principles, and deepened cultural appreciation. Learning about the Remuera Hākari offers our students a window into the history of the land they walk on every day.