At BestStart Girven road, we believe even our youngest tamariki are capable, curious learners who can connect meaningfully with the stories and landscapes that shape our identity.
This week, our Pūkeko Nest children (under twos) embarked on a beautiful journey of discovery through painting our local maunga — Mauao.
Using brushes, and their hands, tamariki explored textures and colours to express their understanding of Mauao. While this may have looked like a simple painting experience, it held much deeper meaning.
As the tamariki created, kaiako shared the pūrākau of how Mauao got its name — the story of a nameless mountain who was carried to the ocean by the patupaiarehe and transformed into the landmark we know and honour today. Through storytelling and creativity, tamariki are immersed in te ao Māori where landforms like Mauao are not just physical places, but ancestors, and holders of history.
These moments help our children build a relationship with the whenua and develop a sense of belonging and identity as tangata whenua. While painting, we saw deep engagement, and joyful expression. The process also supported language development as tamariki listened to and repeated kupu Māori such as “Mauao”, and “maunga”.
These early experiences support our centre’s commitment to bicultural practice, as guided by Te Whāriki, which encourages us to affirm and extend each child’s cultural identity and to honour the principles of partnership, protection, and participation. By honouring the pūrākau of Mauao, we are nurturing not only artistic development but a deeper connection to place, people, and culture.
These stories lay the foundation for respectful, identity-rich learning and help shape the way our tamariki see themselves in the world. Ka pai to mahi, Pūkeko Nest tamariki!