Sacred Heart College students have welcomed the Māori New Year with a celebration of cultures focusing on the theme of empower and embrace. 

Students, and teachers alike, showcased their cultures at assemblies throughout the term, culminating in the College’s annual Feast Day last Thursday. 

Sacred Heart College Head Girl Taila Reardon-Crichton (Ngāti Kahungunu) says they decided to acknowledge and celebrate Matariki in this way as it brought everyone together and promoted sisterhood. 

“We usually celebrate Matariki by having a day where we celebrate all cultures around the school. This year we haven't been able to do that because of Covid-19 so we decided to have those items in our assembly slots,” Aroha says. 

Cultural Leaders Aroha Tawhiri (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Whātua) and Jacqueline Matauli say it was amazing to see all cultures represented. 

“Matariki is important to me because it is a time to celebrate the Māori new year.  It is also a time to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan ahead for the future,” Aroha says.   

“As a school, it is also important that we not only celebrate the Māori culture, but we can also celebrate all other cultures we have in our school.  

“I think it's important for the girls to see their culture represented in our school community because it boosts their confidence.”

While they weren’t able to celebrate Matariki together due to the public holiday, Taila says she hopes the teachings they received at school will carry on in their own time. 

Feast Day was celebrated by a full school mass at St Patrick’s Church which was concelebrated by the local priests. In the afternoon, each Tutor class and the staff presented skits based on the HEART values at the Empower and Embrace theme concert. 

Together, they also made a video asking students their thoughts on how they celebrate their culture, and what empower, and embrace mean to them. 

Catholic Character Leader Neila Story says the service was powerful as it linked in with the message they have been learning at school. 

“I think one powerful thing I got out of mass was that Father Barry mentioned something in his message about going out and embracing yourself. So, it was nice to see the Priest taking it on as well as the school.”

Principal Maria Neville-Foster says at Sacred Heart College, we encourage everyone to recognise and celebrate each other’s cultures. 

“Through our Gospel value Equity, we are reminded in Proverbs 2:9 ‘Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path’.”

Article added: Friday 1 July 2022