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SpanishTHE WHENUA WE STAND ON
Māori Kōrero tuku iho (ancient stories of the Maori)
Kōrero tuku iho (ancient stories), are embedded in the whenua (land); moana (the sea) and taiao (the environment). They endure and connect Māori to place, acknowledging their mauri (life force). In the context of Te Whenua Roa o Kahu, (the Long Land of Kahu – the North Shore), places like Northcote and Takapuna are without boundary and remain seamless on the landscape
Māori Kōrero tuku iho (ancient stories of the Maori)
Kōrero tuku iho (ancient stories), are embedded in the whenua (land); moana (the sea) and taiao (the environment). They endure and connect Māori to place, acknowledging their mauri (life force). In the context of Te Whenua Roa o Kahu, (the Long Land of Kahu – the North Shore), places like Northcote and Takapuna are without boundary and remain seamless on the landscape.
According to kōrero tuku iho, a disagreement between Matakamokamo and his wife Matakerepō led to punishment by Mataoho, the deity associated with earthquakes and volcanic activity. Mataoho sank their mountain home, leaving Pupuke Moana, (Lake Pupuke), in its wake, along with the formation of Rangitoto. The couple fled to Rangitoto with their maid Tukiata, but in their panic left their twin children behind. When ordered to rescue the children, Tukiata disobeyed the instruction not to look back at Rangitoto, and the twins, Hinerei and Matamiha, were turned to stone at the southern end of Takapuna Beach. Their parents’ attempt to return to Te Whenua Roa o Kahu angered Mataoho again, and as further punishment, they too were turned to stone at Awataha, (Shoal Bay). Volcanic eruptions then sank the stones beneath the ground, resulting in two distinctive craters named after them, Te Kōpua o Matakamokamo (Onepoto crater) and Te Kōpua o Matakerepō (Tuff Ring). These craters are still seen today as are the rock formations of their twin children Hinerei and Matamiha at Takapuna Beach. Their maid, Tukiata, is the rock pinnacle near Rangitoto Beacon and she is known as Te Toka a Tukiata. “Mataoho stepped from these two lagoons, Ngā Tapuwae at Barry’s Point Rd, right across the isthmus to the lake Te Pūkaki Tapu o Poutūkeka, east of the airport”, residing at Te Ipu a Mataoho – the crater of Maungawhau.
ONEPOTO SCHOOL
Onepoto School was built in 1961. It’s original name was Onepoto Primary School. This was shortened in 2020 in preparation for the newly designed school. The literal Maori name, Onepoto, means short beach. ‘One’ means beach and ‘poto’ means short. In developing our cultural narrative for our school, the name Onepoto is significant to the whakapapa of the North Shore and Northcote, and also places it, in a time of new development. With such a diverse history of the lands that surround our school, our cultural narrative is one to be honoured and celebrated.
The location of our school lies on the banks of the Onepoto Basin (Te kopua o Matakamokamo) and Tuff crater (Te Kopua o Matekarepo). The Awataha Stream, has been daylit once again, and will flow beside our school, to the Waitemata Harbour at Shoal Bay.
When you enter the doors of our school you are warmly welcomed. We are known to have a very positive ‘whanau feeling’ about our school that is inclusive and nurturing to all. We value our people, Tangata Whenua, and believe that our children achieve when they are cared for and nurtured by supportive whanau, their school, and their community. We work hard to develop Whanaungatanga and connections in this way, in the best interests of our students.
Our school Board have positive roles in the school’s current and future direction. They actively support our school leaders to provide the best learning environment for our students, staff and whanau.
He aha mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.
What is the most important thing in thing in the world?
It is people, it is people, it is people