The second cycle for this year’s Ki Uta Ki Tai Volunteer Week took place from 25-28 September. The student volunteers were recruited from a university paper: PHSE 427 – He Mahi ki Ngā Hapori Māori (Working with Māori Communities) lectured by Dr Anne-Marie Jackson and Dr Hauiti Hakopa. Past volunteers and members of the public also supported them.
On Friday 25, the group were welcomed to Puketeraki Marae with a pōwhiri followed by a mihi whakatau.
After the introductions, the volunteers set off to the rūnaka grounds to pot-up plants for the shade house. This is always a great opportunity for the volunteers to ease into the work, to learn a bit more about the plants they will be planting and to get to know one another and the community members they will be working with over the duration of the volunteer week.
After lunch the students went to work with George and Brendan for the rūnaka day, planting 150 native trees at Huriawa Pā.
The planting aims to restore the health and mauri of the pā back to its original state. The rūnaka day concluded with a hīkoi around the pā and volunteers were given the opportunity to learn about the Māori history of the land and surrounding sea.
The volunteer week is always a great success with a great deal of work being completed for the four coastal community groups involved.
A group photo of the student volunteers and community members on day one.