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Special Matariki celebration with Marne Street
BestStart Marne Street have spent the month of June learning and celebrating Matariki as a Whanau. This learning has been drawn on through books, stories, artwork, music, and conversations. We decided to celebrate Matariki with a new event we hadn't done before, but one we hope to continue in the years to come due to its success.
We wanted to link our event to the community, so we decided on a walk across the new Manawatu Bridge, sharing stories, time and reflecting on the year that may have seen some special people pass on. We spent the week collecting vegetables from whanau to use in the soup we shared at the bridge before our walk.
We also decorated lantern bags and wrote names of family and friends that we have lost over the past year to honour and remember them. The children carried them over the bridge with a candle inside to light them up.
We met at Te Ara Kotahi, enjoyed the soup we had prepared, and chatted together under the moonlight. Wrapped up warm, as a group, with our lanterns, we made our way across the bridge. We even had community members join us for a meal and walk with us.
We made some special memories tonight, especially as due to covid guidelines, we haven't been able to meet up as a large group for a long time. We got some amazing feedback and appreciation from parents, and the children and kaiako alike had a wonderful time.