KŌRERO Ō MUA

Our visit to Te Kura o Hato Petera Kaniera (St Peter Chanel School) on Tuesday afternoon began with a mihi whakatau (formal welcome). The principal, teachers, ancillary staff and entire school were waiting quietly as we walked onto the school grounds. Tūmuaki (principal) Claire Peters, greeted myself and seven former St Peter Chanel students (now Year 7 Kavanagh College tauira) in te reo Māori. The warm welcome concluded with the school singing Mo Maria. This himene (hymn) was written in 1842 by French Catholic Jean Baptiste Francois Pompallier, (1802-1871) who was the first Roman Catholic bishop of New Zealand.
After our reply, we sang Ka Waiata which is another beautiful song about our Blessed Mother, St Mary. 

Our students read to the attentive children of this wonderful school very well. Joe Peters and Liam Sutherland had room kōwhai totally enthralled while reading and creating sound effects for The Battle of the Mountains. The junior classes loved Hineaupounamu Parata-Wineti reading Taniwha by Robin Kahukiwa and at the end of the session the Year 1 and 2 students sang us One Day A Taniwha.Ngā mihi nui (A big thank you) to Joe Peters, Hineaupounamu Parata-Wineti, Paige Clark, Liam Sutherland, Monty Stace, Jake Harris and Harper Abbott for their excellent contribution at St Peter Chanel School. 

Ma pango, ma whero, ka oti te mahi. With black (the tribe) and red (the chiefs), the work is done.