A group of Invercargill schoolchildren will swap the classroom for a hands-on experience while they learn about the culture and arts of the Cook Islands.
Ascot Community School classes would come together for a project where they will be carving a double-hulled 10m vaka (Cook Islands waka) as part of the Creatives in Schools programme.
Master carver Taua Papatua, who was born in Mangaia in the Cook Islands, had been carving for almost his whole life and now he would be sharing it with the children.
The vaka carving techniques had been passed from generation to generation — he was taught by his father, who was taught by his grandfather.
On this project he would also be helped by his son Samuel, continuing the lineage of traditional knowledge.
"I’m excited ... to pass on the knowledge of my dad, my ancestors to the children, to the kids, to the next generation to come.
"So it will stay."
The project was confirmed at the end of last year and a couple months ago, the Invercargill City Council gifted the school the wood required for the project — three large pine trees from the Western shelterbelt at Queens Park.
School children took part in a blessing ceremony last week with prayers, speeches and plenty of singing. Ascot Community School teacher Nicole Nicolson was excited with the unique project as the children had not taken part in something like this before.
"We’re excited about the project. We’ve been waiting since November for some wood so it’s nice to finally get it and get started.
"I think they [the pupils] are going to find it really good, though. They’ll really enjoy learning something new and getting involved in a culture — while learning a lot more about it."
The carving was expected to take just over three weeks, she said.
- By Cole Yeoman
