Raukura Chankee-Paea (left) and Meadow Hussey (right) have received the Rangatahi award.
Students from a school in Wellington are using the Maori language and knowledge to protect important sites and educate visitors about their local area. This unique business, started by students from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o nga Mokopuna in 2021, guides visitors around the Maraenui area (Seatoun), sharing the stories and history of the places along the coast.
Their business, Ngā Tapuwae a-Taraika, won the Rangatahi award at Ngā Tohu Reo Maori 2024. It has attracted a variety of visitors, including students from other schools and members of the Wētā FX Team.
While standing on the beach in front of their school, senior students Raukura Chankee-Paea and Meadow Hussey point out some of the historic sites in the area. One such site is Te Tūranga o Kupe, a rock marking the first place the legendary explorer Kupe set foot in the region.
Their business was named after the ancestor Taraika, but Meadow said that Kupe is the ancestor who is most often discussed in their stories. Kupe is credited with naming the islands in Wellington harbour, Matiu (Somes Island), Mākaro (Ward Island) and Mokopuna.
Raukura points out the site of what was once the largest Pā (Maori fortified village) in the area, Whetukairangi, which is now the site of Worser Bay School. She said her favourite part of the tour is when they take visitors to view where the Wahine ship struck Te Tangihanga a Kupe (Barrett Reef).
Meadow said they have a responsibility to ensure these histories are not forgotten, which is why she loves to see when their visitors are learning something new. Raukura added that for many of their visitors, even those who grew up in Wellington, this was the first time they had heard of these places. But she said that meant they could pass the stories on to their own families and friends.
After winning the award, Raukura encouraged Maori people across New Zealand to “find the strength to flood our world with the Maori language and with our customs.”
