Cook Islands Language Week is held annually to celebrate the culture and identity of the Cook Islands. It also promotes the rich and distinctive language of Cook Islands Māori.
Cook Islands Language Week explores the values of diversity and respect. It encourages New Zealanders to share and understand other cultures by learning a new language, set of beliefs and cultural practices. From this, there is the possibility to see things from a different perspective and embrace other cultures.
Learning a new language gives us insight into new ways of thinking and to different beliefs and cultural practices. Everyone who learns the words of the Cook Islands helps to preserve them.
"Understand and recognise the unique status of Tangata Whenua in
Aotearoa New Zealand."
You may have heard of Matariki, you may not. Come and explore this unique annual celebration in New Zealand (Aotearoa) with us.
This week was Matariki celebration in the school. We celebrated Maori new year by doing different activities of Matariki with students and Teachers. There were various weaving competitions for the students and games for the teachers. All the winners get prizes. That's was excellent and encouragement for their participation in the celebration of Matariki. I also participate in teacher's quiz and won a grand prize. It is the first time I am celebrating Matariki in NZ, and I enjoyed it. All the arrangements were made by a Ruihia(Maori teacher). Staff briefing was in WhareNui this whole week. I was fascinated and curious to learn and to see this culture, and I feel blessed to be a part of these celebrations. ON the last day of the celebration week, there was lunch for teachers and Students in WhareKai.
What is Matariki?
Matariki is the Māori name for a seven-star cluster also known as the seven sisters of Pleiades (the ancient Greek name).
In translation, Matariki means the ‘eyes of god’ (mata ariki) or ‘little eyes’ (mata riki).
For some Māori iwi (tribes), the first pre-dawn rise of Matariki in late May or early June signals the beginning of the Māori New Year.
“Ka puta Matariki ka rere Whānui.
Ko te tohu tēnā o te tau e!
Matariki reappears, Vega starts its flight.
The new year begins!
Look for Matariki in the night sky.
Source: Richard Hall, Astronomy NZ
You’ll have to be up early! From early June, before sunrise (between 5.30-6.30am), look towards the north-east horizon for the stars that look like a pot.
They make up Orion’s belt (Tautoro). Then trace a line northwards. Look for a faint sparkle of tiny dots, about the same width as Orion’s belt is extended. This is the Matariki star cluster.
Here are the Matariki song and a Short story!!!!!
"Understand and recognise the unique status of Tangata Whenua in
Aotearoa New Zealand." "Practise and develop the use of te reo and Tikanga Māori."
Thursday, 27 February 2020
Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai
27/02/2015
What an exciting day had to celebrate the Chinese New Year!
Celebrations began with shared morning tea in the staffroom with colleagues. There is a story behind celebrating Chinese New Year. The folk story of Nian the Dragon. Nian was a mythical beast that lived under the mountains. Once each spring, around the Chinese New Year, he would come out of hiding to attack the people of the village! Over the years the villagers realised that loud noises and the colour red frightened Nian. So the next spring they wore bright red robes and threw firecrackers to prevent Nian from coming into the village. Now each year we celebrate the Chinese New Year and the legend of Nian. The Chinese like throwing firecrackers and wearing bright red coloured clothes.
Happy Chinese New Year! Wishing everyone a prosperous and joyful year of the goat!
Of all the traditional Chinese festivals, the New Year was perhaps the most elaborate, colourful, and important. This was a time for the Chinese to congratulate each other and themselves on having passed through another year, a time to finish out the old and to welcome in the new year. Common expressions heard at this time are GUONIAN to have made it through the old year, and BAINIAN to congratulate the new year.
Chinese New Year Activities
The festivities begin a week in advance from the New Year’s Eve, and it involves a lot of day to day activities that keep the zest and zeal alive. The last week of the last lunar month involves tasks like worshipping the kitchen god, shopping for the festival items and new clothes, cleaning up the home thoroughly, pasting festival couplets, having a reunion dinner, watching TV, and setting off fireworks.
ay if activaOf all the traditional Chinese festivals, the new Year was perhaps the most elaborate, colourful, and important. This was a time for the Chinese to congratulate each other and themselves on having passed through another year, a time to finish out the old, and to welcome in the new year. Common expressions heard at this time are: GUONIAN to have made it through the old year, and BAINIAN to congratulate the new year.Of all the traditional Chinese festivals, the new Year was perhaps the most elaborate, colourful, and important. This was a time for the Chinese to congratulate each other and themselves on having passed through another year, a time to finish out the old, and to welcome in the new year. Common expressions heard at this time are: GUONIAN to have made it through the old year, and BAINIAN to congratulate the new year.ted on the wrist. The ethics abstinent on the timing apparatus (a Witschi Chronoscope X1) were similar with replica watches uk. Averaging the ethics in all positions resulted in a circadian accretion of 3.7 seconds. The Rolex Explorer's Oysterlock replica watches assurance folding brooch is acclaimed by its affluence of operation. The calmly and indices of the new archetypal beam blithely in the dark, acknowledgment in allotment to the new Chromalight beaming substance, which debuted on the Rolex replica Sea-Dweller Deepsea and is now aswell acclimated on the rolex replica watches Explorer. Unlike on that watch, however, it glows in the traditional, anemic blooming hue rather than a dejected one. The blush lasts a actual continued time: the rolex replica charcoal simple to apprehend even afterwards 11 hours in absolute darkness.
