The first day of the Kōrero o te ‘Ōrau ‘Ātui’anga ki te Tango school holiday programme for Rarotonga, Atiu and Mangaia kicked off yesterday morning when all 30 senior students teamed up for introductions.

Activities were led by the Ipukarea Society and the National Environment Service (NES) with a visit up to the Takitumu Conservation at Totokoitu, Vaimaanga.

Michael Bowie from the Ministry of Agriculture delivered a presentation looking at terrestrial fauna identification using the iNaturalist app to identify as many animal and plant species as possible.

Te Kōrero o te ‘Ōrau’s Jackie Rongo said that the iNaturalist app will be a very useful tool for the students to start identifying the plants.

“… which is really part of what our programme is about – to connect them to the resources, to get to know what these plants are and their purposes,” Rongo said.

“We are hoping later in the week that we will have a vairakau (medicine) Maori session where some of the taunga can do a presentation.”

The ‘Ātui’anga ki te Tango students from Atiu, arrived last week on vaka Marumaru Atua. KORERO o te ORAU/23073102

Sailing on the deep blue ocean onboard a traditional canoe is a dream for many young people on Rarotonga and the Pa Enua.

As a result of the Kōrero o te ‘Ōrau ‘Ātui’anga ki te Tango senior programme, youth from Rarotonga and Atiu/Enuamanu have had the wonderful opportunity to experience a traditional voyage onboard Vaka Marumaru Atua captained by Deon Wong.

The overnight sail to each island was a first for most of the students who were all excited at the opportunity to voyage on the vaka.

Eight Rarotonga students sailed to Atiu last Monday and have stayed behind while seven Atiu students replaced their seats on the vaka voyage back to Rarotonga.

Both groups will be staying on opposite homelands and joining the ‘Ātui’anga ki te Tango programme that is running simultaneously on Atiu and Rarotonga.

The ‘Ātui’anga ki te Tango on Rarotonga welcomed the vaka and students into Avarua Harbour last Thursday with a tila led by Pukapukan Tikove Piira, and a Mitiaro pe’e while docking.

Atiu’s team leader Enere Mingi said that the overnight voyage to Rarotonga was a first for everyone in the group.

“Everyone was fine during the sail over and the students really enjoyed the trip,” said Mingi.

Campbell Nicholls from Atiu said he was thrilled to be given the opportunity to sail overnight on Marumaru Atua.

“It was amazing, we had a good sail and it was a great experience to be out on the ocean,” he said.

Terina Paratainga also from Atiu said she was eager to sail over for the first time and is looking forward to meeting new students and being part of the programme.

On Friday, five students from Mangaia landed accompanied by their team leader Emma Tangikara.

“Kia orana no to matou tere, this is our first time to join this programme and we are happy to be here to be a part of it.”

Faith Papatua from Mangaia said, “it has been all right, and I find that the iNaturalist app is really interesting so far”.

Mangaia student Abraham Torotoro is pleased to be learning new things.

“No unga i te app iNaturalist, te rekareka nei au, ko au e tamariki Mangaia, te tamou nei matou i te au peu a te Rarotonga ei meitaki rae no matou e pera katoa ka apii rae matou i ta matou peu Maori no Mangaia mai ki te tamariki Rarotonga,” Torotoro said.

The students from Rarotonga on Atiu are spending a week camping, learning about scientific and traditional knowledge, guided by the island’s Ātui’anga ki te Tango programme lead Joshua Jim alongside Sunshine George and Maui Matakino.

The ‘Ātui’anga ki te Tango school holiday senior exchange programme will run until August 6.