Our staff and student whānau recently gathered at the Auckland City campus to bless the new site. We were honoured to be led through a traditional Māori blessing by Matua Vince Hapi and Whaea Jean, who acknowledged and paid respect to the spiritual heritage and the new educational purpose that the building will serve.
Together, we followed Matua Vince and Whaea Jean through each room to bless the space and to recognise the new names bestowed upon them — Level 5 is dedicated to native birds, and Level 4 to native trees. These names were chosen to reflect our connection to Te Taiao and to ground us to our environment.
Our students gave voice to the occasion with the waiata Te Aroha, then we concluded with shared kai, removing the tapu of the ceremony and allowing for us all to gather together in commonality.
Matua Vince’s korero praised the transformative power of education, and shared that the NZSEG’s mana and aroha was palpable. He left us with a quote from the late Sir James Hēnare: “Kua tawhiti kē tō haerenga mai, kia kore e haere tonu. He tino nui rawa ōu mahi, kia kore e mahi nui tonu — You have come too far, not to go further. You have done too much, not to do more.”
