Moving ceremony for opening of Parklands room

October 29th, 2012
[by David Armstrong]

Tania Corbett and Martin Major unveil
the name of the room

The contribution of all colours of the rainbow was a central theme behind the naming and, yesterday, the official opening of Parkland School's large multipurpose room.

Aniwaniwa means a rainbow, and educationalist Tania Corbett was quick to use this concept to involve all the pupils at the opening ceremony in telling the story of how the colours argued amongst themselves about which was the most important, until they came to realise that all were needed to make the true light and real colours of the world.

Also unveiled at the ceremony was a beautiful tukutuku panel designed and created at the school over the past year by a team of pupils and adults.

The school has been without a large multipurpose room or area since the 1970s, when the present museum building which had been the school hall was taken over by the council.

Several years of planning had gone into a design using two existing classrooms to make one large room with its own kitchen and toilets. The huge retracting glass doors and large concrete platform outside make it ideal for large indoor/outdoor gatherings.

The tukutuku panel unveiled

The ceremony began when the Rev Gladys brought teachers who had taught in the pre-conversion classrooms in to see the changes. Then she led all the pupils, invited guests and other adults around the new building blessing the structure, while the whanau class sang the rainbow song.

Board of Trustees chairwoman Marion Edwin then led the pupils in a round of thanks for all the people who had played a part in the design and building work, including all the tradesmen along with the Education Ministry for the funds and Principal Martin Major for his vision and planning.

Then Tania had the well-behaved children engrossed with the rainbow story, which involved kindy children coming onto the stage who had clothing to represent the six main colours.

For many the highlight of the morning was the unveiling of the tukutuku panel, designed by a school group led by Aunty Meri. While helicopters above unknowingly threatened to drown out the speakers, the parts of the design were explained.

The name "Whaia te iti kahurangi" is a summary of an old proverb - to seek the highest goal, and if you have to bow down, do so to the highest mountain. The tukutuku depicted this as steps to learning, but also including tui and weka, several kete and hints of the Southern Cross and Matariki stars.

Pupils help bless the building

The whanau class sing the rainbow song

Tania Corbett and her coloured kindy helpers, from left -
purple (pants), blue, green, yellow, orange (hat) and red

The tukutuku panel is viewed by some of the team which made it

Even the guests' morning tea dips followed the rainbow theme!

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