The ‘Grow Your Place’ programme, facilitated by The Wellington Boys’ and Girls’ Institute (BGI), has offered our rangatahi a deeply meaningful and culturally immersive experience here at Onslow. Over the course of five weeks, students have explored Whakapapa, making connections and traditional Māori music and tikanga as part of the Year 10 Kawa and Tikanga programme within Te Ara a Māui. The last session was held in our wharenui, encouraging a space for creativity, mindfulness, and community connection.
The programme began by setting a strong foundation of whanaungatanga. From meeting the BGI tutors ‘toka’ (mauri stone), Tiriwa, to engaging in interactive sessions like ‘Kaupapa bingo,’ students were encouraged to connect with peers they might not usually work with. A highlight was the ‘Build Your Own Pā’ activity, where students used Lego to conceptualise community and unity. This collaborative exercise sparked a kōrero about what makes a strong whānau creating connections and helped set an inclusive tone for the weeks to follow.
As the weeks progressed, the focus shifted to the taonga pūoro (traditional Māori musical instruments). Guided by facilitators Te Kahureremoa, Charlie, and Mikaere, students explored the vibrations of sounds inspired by the ngahere (forest). It has been special to also welcome back past Onslow student Billy Paratene as a tuakana through BGI to support our students in this programme and strengthen his connections with our kura.
Perhaps the most hands-on aspect of the programme was the clay work session, where students crafted their own Uku Tangi. It was wonderful to see the students attempt to play these instruments, with each piece creating its own unique sound. By the final sessions, the wharenui was filled with the sounds of traditional instruments and a collective ‘jam’, an experience that many students described as relaxing and was probably the first time the whare had heard this music.
The reflections from our students highlight just how significant the last session was. Many described the sessions as “peaceful,” “grounded,” and “safe,” with one student noting that the experience felt like a “warm embrace.”
When asked about what they will take away from the programme, students expressed gratitude for the knowledge shared and an appreciation for the history, and mana of a place. As one student commented, “…I learned about being respectful of the environment around us…I will think differently about the spaces around me.”
The ‘Grow Your Place’ programme has done exactly what its title suggests—it has helped our rangatahi grow their connection to the place they learn in, the people they learn with, and the cultural history that surrounds them.
The Wellington Boys’ and Girls’ Institute (BGI) is a youth development organisation, established in 1883. Since then, they have evolved alongside the needs of Wellington’s youth – running programmes and projects which support, inspire, and challenge our rangatahi (young people) to wholeheartedly embrace who they are.