Story Supported by Cilla Brown from Matawaia a strong supporter for Matawaia including Marae and Kōhanga Reo.

Married with 6 tamariki, and 19 mokopuna, which I feel is where I get my passion for supporting tamariki and their happiness.  I’ve worked in education with tamariki for most of my working life, which includes Kaikohe and Matawaia Kōhanga, Ngapuawai Purapura, TKR National Trust and currently work at Motatau Kura.  Love my jobs both paid and voluntary I thrive and love seeing whānau happily engaging in whanaungatanga activities like interschool sports, celebrations of all kinds in and outside of Kura.

Te Kōhanga Reo o Matawaia commemorated a significant milestone on October 13, 2023, as they marked 40 years. The celebration took place at Matawaia Marae/Kōhanga, situated in Kawakawa, bringing together past and current generations for a day of connection, celebration and play.

The event aimed to engage members of the community, with a primary focus on current kōhanga tamariki aged 0 to 5, followed by former students and their whānau.

A notable feature of the celebration was the incorporation of soft play equipment, turning the event into a multi-generational playground. This addition not only encouraged play but also enabled whānau of all ages to engage and interact with each other modelling the tuakana-teina concept.

Community connections were prominent and great to see throughout the day as community members were standing, sitting and utilising the soft play equipment.  Adults would come together and engage in conversations and reminisce about the time they spent as a kōhanga ākonga, kaimahi or whānau of Matawaia while watching their tamariki and mokopuna play.

Throughout the day whānau supervised and encouraged tamariki to engage in free play activities including face painting, colouring, painting stations, bouncy castle, photobooth, Tākaro Tribe, kapa haka, whanaungatanga, bubbles station, kai and the soft play equipment. Parents have a vital part to play to ensure safe, enjoyable and purposeful interactions for our up and coming rangatira for the future.

 

 

The varied reactions of attendees mirrored the diversity of the community. Children exhibited curiosity, surprise, and excitement, reflecting the simple joy of play. Parents inquired about the origin and potential accessibility of the equipment. 

The versatile shapes the children could create from the soft play equipment, such as seats, slides, towers, bridges, and rainbows, added to the enjoyment.

The idea of using the soft play equipment emerged from a Mud Run event hosted by Maromaku School, which Motatau School attended. A conversation with one of the Sport Northland School Connectors led to the discovery of play equipment that could be utilised on the day.

“Sport Northland has helped us in other sporting events as well and our experience has been awesome.  We received great communication and support on this occasion as well, and I believe that if these items were advertised as accessible to others there would be great demand for them. We included Sport Northland on our sponsorship pānui and also on Ngāti Hine FM radio station to say thank you for playing a key part in making our day such a success” says Cilla Brown.

The Healthy Active Learning team celebrates this kaupapa as a great way of celebrating community connection.