A special day for Balmacewen

Tēnā koutou katoa

We had a very special ceremony on Wednesday to unveil our pou. Beautiful singing, rousing haka and lovely speeches contributed to a memorable occasion.

The pou represent our four House Groups, Whānaupaki, Araiteuru, Kaikarae and Whakaari. 

Whānaupaki - (Flagstaff) is the mountain overlooking our school.

Araiteuru - a waka of Ngāi Tahu ancestory as well as the name of the marae beside Balmacewen.

Kaikarae - The traditional name for the Kaikorai stream.

Whakaari - The original name for Wakari.

Special thanks go to Mauraka Edwards for his blessing and to Piripi Matthews and Tania Williams representing our community and Araiteuru Marae respectively.

The pou were carved by master kaiwhakairo Alex Whitaker of Waitati. We thank Alex for his beautiful work and his ability to translate our ideas into the amazing carvings we see.

As a school, our students really get in behind our house groups. It encourages a fun and supportive environment where students work together for a common goal. The pou will be a focal point and give us a tangible representation of our houses.

This project has been some years in the making and I thank all who have contributed their time and ideas in bringing this to fruition. We also acknowledge the support of the Otago Community Trust.