Rangatahi Tumeke Trust celebrates 10th birthday
Story by Rachael Kelly. Published in Stuff.
A trust that connects rangatahi with nature celebrated its 10th birthday on Friday.
Rangatahi Tumeke Trust hosts camps and leadership programmes for rangatahi Māori with the aim of instilling a sense of belonging from a taha Māori perspective.
More than 360 children had been on the trusts’ five-day camps at the Catlins, where they learnt skills including fishing, floundering, camping out and abseiling, Rangatahi Tumeke Charitable Trust director of programmes and relationships Stephanie Blair said.
”I was a teacher and I felt our kids needed to be taken back into nature and the environment,’’ she said.
”As well as activities, there’s waiata, karakia and they learn about their whakapapa, which creates a connectedness, so they get to know who they are from a taha Māori point of view.’’
Children who ‘’showed potential or stepped up’’ became tuakana in a leadership programme and lead activities on the camps, she said.
Blair said she did not want money to be a barrier for children taking part.
Families were encouraged to donate a koha of time or food to the programme, but it had been mostly funded by Ngāi Tahu.
Celebrations were held at the Te Rau Aroha Marae at Bluff with a pōwhiri, kai and live band.
Posted: 20 March 2023