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Our rituals at the centre
Something that we do throughout the centre, says karakia together before we start our kai. Karakia is a blessing of our food in Te Reo Maori. In the Tui room (Infant) the kaiako do the karakia for the Pepi, and in the Kiwi and Moa rooms (Preschool) the children are pretty capable of doing the karakia together. In the Kea room, the kaiako lead karakia, and encourage our tamariki to join in when as learn the words. We use the same karakia throughout the centre, so all of our tamariki are familiar.
Saying our karakia is just one of the many ways we show our respect to Te Ao Maori (the Maori world) and embrace New Zealand's bi-cultural heritage. For our younger tamariki, it lets our children know that Kai is coming, and is part of their routine. As they get older and move through the centre, they become more aware of the meaning behind karakia.