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Senior students Katrina Parker & Kerryn-Ruth Botting interview

Staff Member Karen Phillips

about the establishment of the Wharenui.

Who and what inspired the idea of building a importantly, from the word 'go' we were building it
wharenui? for the whole school, not just for the Maori kids.
I don't exactly know who. I think it was really It was for the whole school, a sort of
a group of us, with Mr Abraham and myself as the beginning place toward bi-culturalism. That was the
two key movers getting it going and then we got in way we saw it. It was to move ahead.
some people from the community and parents, some
komatua in the community and sounded the idea Do you feel that the wharenui has and will benefit
out. Then Mrs Gregory arrived at the school, but we the school and students, and in what way?
already had things going by then. So really the three I feel really strongly that it has and does when
of us after that time were the key people behind the I think about the fact that in the two and a half years
whole idea. that it has been opened, it’s been used for some
What inspired us was a real desire to have amazing things. I don't think there's been such a
something that would show the bi-racial makeup of moving moment in this school's history as when
the school. I found it really hard to believe the Mrs Gregory lay on it and we were able to farewell
school was made up of half Maori and half pakeha her, and as a school take her from Te
students and yet there was nothing, no symbols in Huingaawai to Turangawaewae. That to me is one
the school at all, that showed that the Maori kids of the most unifying, even though it's probably one
existed there. We found that really hard of the most saddest moments of my life.
to cope with that. It's also one of the most unifying moments for
We thought about the fact that Ngaruawahia the whole school. when I think of my pride when I
was the centre of the whole king movement. watch the school welcome people like Mr Mill and
Everyone thinks Ngaruawahia is the centre of things new staff members. So it's a place to welcome, it's a
Maori, and you came to our school and no carvings, place to farewell.
there was nothing. We found that one really hard to I think about other groups that come and stay,
believe, so that was part of it. But even more and that we can host people. That feels good, even