Writing

I was set the task to do a piece of writing that makes me happy,proud and a memorible time. During my time away on tournement I learnt that sports isnt just to do with playing its also to do with love,happiness,and meeting new people.

1. Taitokerau
2. Netball
3. Representing

It was April the 25th an exciting moment for me and others as it was time to hop on the bus to start our journey to Hamilton to  represent Tai tokerau as well as to compete against New zealand. I had shivers down my spine knowing that it would be the funnest happiest and teariest moments I can share with my team mates.

Our first stop was Whangarei, our Tai tokerau roopu decided we had to stop to see our nanakins which was the leader of our waaka that passed away early this year. We walked down to her grave singing some of her favourite waiata. Tears ran down my eyes as I was thinking of all the good things that she did for all of us and all the encouragement she gave to us. She taught us to never give up and always be proud of who we were. My teammates and friends surrounded me with lots of cuddles giving me and Danni the love and support we needed. After saying a quick hi and bye, the real journey started.

After hours later we arrived in Hamilton and got welcomed into the marae with a pohiri. I looked around and seen all the other teams that were representing their region .Then standing in front of all of us was the Waikato roopu as it was there year to host the tournment.

It started getting dark and late so everyone started getting tired, so we all went for showers and by then dinner and dessert had been cooked, after stuffing our faces with food we all went to bed so we can be prepared for the big day.

The sun rose everyone had breakfast and then  got ready. We all plaited our hair and put our tracksuits on so we can make our nanakins proud and represent Tai tokerau with pride.  

We hopped on the bus again and headed to the Hamilton netball courts where  we  seen all the different teams again. Tai tokerau u13s,u15,u17,19s,seniors  were ready to compete against the rest of New zealand.

The first round started and that was us, we versed ikaroa ki te tonga (wellington) and one against them by 8. Our coaches and our team and the rest of our wakas were proud of us.

Hours and hours went games and games were played and finally the day was over. We played 8 games of netball won 6 and lost 2 but overall the u13s did the best out of our waka. So I was so proud of my team as well as my friends, family.

That weekend was filled with so much laughter,loving hugs and kisses. It was also even better as we brought home 3 gold trophies, as well as Ruby from u15s and Fluernik from u13s were chosen for the top 10 of their ages group. We were all so proud of each other.

Matariki Report

Matariki

Matariki is a maori new year,it is a cluster of 7 stars named the pleiades. Maori celebrate matariki in there own ways and there own believes.

What is Matariki?

Matariki is known for the maori new year,which has different meanings behind the word Matariki.  Matariki rises in late May or early June. Some maori say Matariki means the god of eyes,as Papatuanuku and Ranginui were separated. Tawhirimatea became so angry tearing out his eyes and hurling them into heaven. For many maori Matariki is a huge celebration, not just because itś a maori new year but because is mentioned as a awesome time for planting,growing and harvesting as well as fishing.

The stars

Matariki believes the brighter the stras are the better the crops will be the following year.

Matariki,

Waiti,

Waita,

Waipunarangi,

Tupunanuku

Tupuanrangi

Ururangi

Importance of Matariki?

Maori also have their own New year, Which has marked by the rise of matariki(the group of stars also known as the Pleiades stars cluster or the seven stars)and the sighting of the Next new moon.Matariki has two meanings both referring to a tiny constellation of stars; Matariki Tiny Eyes and Mata Ariki Eyes of God Traditionally, depending on the visibility of Matariki the coming season's crop was thought to be determined.

How is it celebrated?

Matariki is celebrated with education, remembrance and the planting of new trees and crops signalling new beginnings. Matariki was the optimum time for new harvests, and ceremonial offerings to the land-based gods Rongo, Uenuku and Whiro to ensure good crops for the coming year. Some hold festivals,others gather their families and have hangis. Traditionally Matariki was celebrated by gathering with whanau and reflecting on the past  years.

Our new beginning

As part of our Matariki researching we got a task to find a buddy and create a animation. The hard task we got was that it had to have something about navigation. So our one was the stars navigated them to find help. We had to write our own story, for Tyissa and I it took us only a few hours has we already had a type of plan how we wanted our story to sound like. For the animation it took us 1 week and a bit. We have 68 slides. It took us quite a few times for us to finish our screen castifing as we keeped laughing or got distracted by different things.

Last goodbye.

It was July the 1st, a normal school day, my siblings and I got ready to go to school, at the time we were living in Waima. The school bus arrived at our driveway, we hoped on the bus.  Minutes later we all arrived at school. Hours flew by and it was lunch time, my school got a phone call from my dad saying “can you give a note to my kids to tell us to get our stuff together because he would be here to pick us up any minute.”

He arrived at our school to pick us up,as we got into the car we asked “why we were leaving so early from school?” He replied to us, “Nan is unwell and your mum is gone to Rawene hospital with her.”

Minutes after we all arrived at Rawene Mum and Nana were hopping into a helicopter. Dad drove us back to Waima and called my uncle (dad’s brother)saying “there's something with mum I'm dropping Tawhiti and Brittney off at home, can you come and look after them while me and Alex head down to Whangarei”.

We arrived at Whangarei but by then it was too late, no one got to say their final goodbyes and love you’s apart from mum.  I felt like a strike of lightning struck my heart. Mum said to us “she took her last breathe just before they landed in Whangarei. No one knew she was sick as she was one of those stubborn people.”  One of the doctors came in and told us how Nan had died, “she had pneumonia” said the doctor. So many questions were asked. I couldn’t feel anything apart from nervousness crawling down my spine. Family all  gathered together at the hospital and loved each other.  I rang Brittney to tell her the sad news, no words were spoken just tears.  

My eyes closed gently and thought about all the good,annoying things my nana did for me. I had always been nana’s girl so I was in so much of shock that she had been taken so early at the age of 56.  That was a lesson to many of us to always get a check up.

A day  later community and family gathered all together in the marae, I looked around and tears falling down so  many familiar faces. I looked to my sister and she was in such of shock with tears rolling down, I crawled over to her and just squeezed her. Hours shot passed, people came and went.  

It was the final night that I would spend with her, the toko toko went around and many voices spoke about the memories they shared together. I was thinking and realized it was my birthday tomorrow. I wished no one knew because I didn’t want the day to be about me. I just had one regret and that was that I didn’t acknowledge my nan enough for what she did for all of us.

The sun rose, I wasn’t ready for this day.  Songs were sang, but it was time I had to say my last goodbye, it was hard and emotional. Thoughts were flying around my head.  But it was time we laid her to rest.

Frogs

Frogs

Have you ever wondered how tadpoles turn into frogs?

Tadpoles go through many changes, difficult and easy but as it starts growing it turns into nice big frogs.

Tiny frog eggs are laid in masses in the water by female frogs, then 6-21 days the tadpole then begin their lives by hatching out of there eggs into tadpoles.

The tadpole spends most of its time swimming in lakes and ponds, eating and growing. Tadpoles breathes by using their gills as it hasn’t fully grown so doesn’t know hot to breathe out of there lungs, its tail is still fully on.

The tadpole develops hind legs and then next sprouts out there arms after their legs start growing, it has a longer body how long the arms grow out to, it also has more of a distinct head.

Axolotls

Axolotl….

Axolotl are walking Mexican fish. They are amphibians who spend their whole life underwater.

Appearance

An Axolotl is grey or white in colour with dark black eyes. The colour on an Axolotl depends on its cells. Axolotls can grow up to 30cm in length,although the average is closer to 15 centimeters. They from 60 to 227 grams. They can live up to 15 years, but it remains in larvae forms for its entire life.

Diet

An axolotls feast on the menu is usually creatures in the wild, such as worms,mollusks,insect larvae,crustaceans and fish, and just about any other small creature that can fit in their mouth and that can swallow whole. Including other salamanders.

Habitat

Axolotls are found in high altitude lakes near Mexico City. The axolotls are historically native to lakes of Chalco and Xochimilco.

Behaviour.

The axolotl is able to regenerate body parts. When they are attacked by predators they can release one of the attachments to escape . Before long that attachment will grow back. They can be boring to watch though as they often don’t move for several hours at a time. When they do move they are slow.

Axolotls is currently been names as an endangered species, as  people have been trying to catch them, people who care about them are worried.

Pawarenga

Holidays being home.

The first week of the holidays I arrived in paradise and reunited with family. Surrounding me I have horses trotting,and so many voices echoing. I can heard a loud call of my name “Alex Alex”. It was Tiari,Vinnie and Wairere telling me they were   going to catch our horses so we can go for a ride together.

 I turn around for a second and see  the native trees surrounding the crystal clear water water. I can breathe in and can taste the breed of horses, they all run up towards me and I turn around with happiness written all over my face knowing i’m home and back with all my family.

As we start our journey up the warawara forest, we stop and look at each other and just smile and keep riding. We are excited and blessed to be with each other again, so we could continue what we do best together.   

We got to the top and seen the view of our dream.

Dubai

I have been studying about the country, to find out more information about it. In case if I wanna travel when I'm older I will know what happens there.

weekend

Planning

1. Beach
2. surfing
3. matauri bay
4. Crystal water
5. Rainbow warrior

Writing

The sun was hot on my face as I lay in the warm sand, i open my eyes and see crystal clear clear water in front of me. I can hear many others surrounding me. Screaming children,spoken parents,and tans complaining about not getting enough tan and others just relaxing. When I stand up I can feel the hot sand between my toes,i lay back down and hear the waves crashing up on to shore. I hear some sort of motor die down.