Te Wharekura o Ruatoki is a rural school in the Māori settlement of

Ruatoki Ruatoki North is a town in the eastern Bay of Plenty of New Zealand, just south of the small town of Tāneatua and approximately south of the town of Whakatāne. The Whakatāne River runs northwards through the Ruatoki Valley and has formed broa ...

in the Eastern Bay of Plenty region,

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

, serving children in years 1 through 13. It was established as Ruatoki Native School in 1896 after a visit by

Richard Seddon Richard John Seddon (22 June 1845 – 10 June 1906) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 15th premier (prime minister) of New Zealand from 1893 until his death. In office for thirteen years, he is to date New Zealand's longest-ser ...

and James Carroll. In 1978 it became New Zealand’s first officially bilingual school."3.14 Bilingual Schools, Kohanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa Maori"
Waitangi Tribunal Publication 2001

Students and the school

The students are currently 99% Māori of the

Ngāi Tūhoe Ngāi Tūhoe (), often known simply as Tūhoe, is a Māori people, Māori iwi (tribe) of New Zealand. It takes its name from an ancestral figure, Tūhoe-pōtiki. ''Tūhoe'' is a Māori-language word meaning 'steep' or 'high noon'. Tūhoe people a ...

iwi (tribe). It serves its community and other townships close by, with children transported to school by bus, van or car from Kawerau, Whakatane, Opotiki and Taneatua. The school and its people are very passionate about the tikanga and kawa of Ngāi Tūhoe. Guests are welcomed to the school or the community within a highly prioritised tikanga (protocol) and kawa of Ngāi Tūhoe. School activities include kapa haka, manu kōrero and waka ama. Students and teachers are split into four house groups. The school assembles at their gymnasium every first and last day of the school week to have karakia (church). The school abides by the church of Te Haahi Ringatu, which was established by Te Kooti Arikirangi. The school and its educators follow their motto “Ko tā mātau kitenga anamata, Ko te tiketike Tūhoetanga” to encourage and urge themselves to strive for the highest and successful attributes education provides for all.

History

Local Tuhoe leaders requested a school in 1891. The school opened as Ruatoki Native School on 4 June 1896 after a short visit to Ruatoki by politicians James Carroll and

in 1895. It became a district high school from 1946–47 until the secondary section closed in the 1970s. In 1978 it became New Zealand's first bilingual primary school. It then became a

Māori language Māori (; endonym: 'the Māori language', commonly shortened to ) is an Eastern Polynesian languages, Eastern Polynesian language and the language of the Māori people, the indigenous population of mainland New Zealand. The southernmost membe ...

immersion school for children up to standard two, remaining bilingual for standards three and four. On 1 September 1992 it became an area school for children up to form seven and the first official kura kaupapa school. Children from west of the nearby

Whakatāne River The Whakatāne River or Ōhinemataroa is a major river of the Bay of Plenty region in the North Island of New Zealand. It flows north from near the small town of Ruatāhuna through Te Urewera, reaching the sea through the town of Whakatāne ...

attended the school in the early decades. As there was no bridge, they waded the river, and missed school when the river was in flood. Consequently, Tawera Native School opened on the other side of the river on 29 July 1931. Oscar Holyoake, who was principal in 1948–1953, was the brother of

Keith Holyoake Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake (11 February 1904 – 8 December 1983) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 26th prime minister of New Zealand, serving for a brief period in 1957 and then from 1960 to 1972, and also as the 13th governor-g ...

, the deputy Prime Minister, and later Prime Minister, then Governor General. Previous names * Ruatoki Native School * Ruatoki District School * Ruatoki Bi-Lingual School * Te Kura Kaupapa o Ruatoki * Te Kura Maori a Rohe o Ruatoki

Notable alumni

* Turuhira Hare – Māori composer * Tame Iti – Māori

activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from mandate build ...

Hirini Melbourne Hirini (Sid) Melbourne (21 July 1949 – 6 January 2003) was a Māori people, Māori composer, singer, university lecturer, poet and author who was notable for his contribution to the development of Māori music and the revival of Māori culture ...

– Māori composer

References

Citations

Works cited

External links

Te Wharekura o Ruatoki

Education Review Office (ERO) Evaluation
2016 {{DEFAULTSORT:Te Wharekura O Ruatoki Schools in the Bay of Plenty Region Primary schools in New Zealand Secondary schools in the Bay of Plenty Region Kura Kaupapa Māori schools