Atakura Haimona was born and raised in Australia, and the 16-year-old has always had a strong desire to learn more about his language and culture.
His whānau signed him up for ‘Connect 2 Your Culture’ because the Australian curriculum does not offer te reo Māori me ōna tikanga as a language or cultural option.
Haimona has spent 10 weeks at Rotorua Boys High School reconnecting with his Te Arawa whakapapa in a programme called ‘Connect 2 Your Culture’.
In that time, he made the Raukura senior Kapa Haka.
“I think it was unreal, I didn’t think I’d be able to have this opportunity. Being from Australia, I never thought I would have this opportunity to be able to come here and stand on my own whenua, perform on my own whenua,” said Haimona.
“I come here because I don’t know much about my Te Arawa side. I know a lot about my Ngāpuhi side on my mum’s side, but not my dad’s side on Te Arawa.”
Emma Carter is the mother of Atakura and lives in Brisbane, where Atakura was born. She has come to Aotearoa to watch her son perform on stage at the Te Arawa Secondary Schools Kapa Haka Competition, as part of the Raukura Kapa Haka.
“Being here has just really strengthened him to bring back what he’s learnt and to teach the others that are in the same boat as him in terms of schooling back in Brisbane,” Carter said.
Huia Puketapu (Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Ruapani and Tūhoe) is the director of the group Edsecter Consultancy, which leads the initiative ‘Connect 2 Your Culture’, which happens in term four each year.
Their work focuses on connecting young Māori living in Australia who want to immerse themselves in their Māori identity by working with whānau to find learning pathways in Aotearoa.
“The intent of this programme is to intentionally have a cultural experience, and who they are as being Māori. The academics are also amongst all of that,” Puketapu said.
After his performance, Haimona acknowledged his whānau who have supported him to strengthen his connection to his ancestral lands.
By Maioha Panapa of Aukaha
