WĀNANGA PŪTAIAO ĀRAITEURU MARAE 14-16 AUGUST

By Tim Lucas | Posted: Monday August 20, 2018

Last week, ten Year 9 & 10 Māori students attended a three-day, two-night University of Otago science (pūtaiao) wānanga (place of learning) at beautiful Āraiteuru marae.

Hosted and fully funded by the university, this wānanga had three learning themes. Students studied quantum physics, chemistry and pharmacology.

The wānanga was very much a hands-on experience and our students had the opportunity to work alongside university professors, PhD and Masters students who were experts in their respective fields. Liam Byers loved the laser and light spectrum experiments, while master chefs, Eternal Poto-Kaui, Irene Simeti, Leilani Kara, Siobhan Stevenson, Liana Paerata and Jess Evans created a winning ice cream using milk, sugar, food flavoring and just the right amount of liquid nitrogen. A highlight of the wānanga was the kai. The ringa wera (kitchen staff) did a fantastic job and Tama Iraia, Aidan MacRae and Paikea Haua-Barlett went back for seconds when a mouth-watering hangi was served on the final day!

This year, the University of Otago are celebrating ten years of science wānanga events that have been run all over Aotearoa. A special thanks to the university, Āraiteuru marae, Dodd-Walls Centre and Hiria Palmer for organising another successful wānanga.


Nā,Matua Lucas & Whaea Mbizvo

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