Te Ropū Manawa Kuaka

Friday, 13th June 2025 at 11:20am

Celebrating Culture and Community

Last Tuesday evening, Green Bay High School came alive with colour, rhythm, and connection as we welcomed many of our migrant families to a special migrant hui. The evening was a vibrant celebration of the rich diversity within our school community, featuring stunning student-led cultural performances, delicious shared kai, and meaningful conversations.

Families had the opportunity to connect, share their stories, and contribute valuable insights to our school’s strategic planning — ensuring their voices help shape the future of our students. It was a joy to witness the pride and talent of our students who performed, and we’re already looking forward to even more amazing performances at our future hui.

Our Migrant Hui has been kindly gifted a new name from Whaea Tia McIver: Te Ropū Manawa Kuaka

• Te Rōpū - the group, we are a collective, emphasising unity and belonging.
• Manawa -heart, breath, essence- this represents the heart or spirit of this group, our collective aspirations, or the emotional journey of migration. It also connects to manawanui (courageous), reinforcing the idea of resilience.
• Kuaka (godwit) - migratory birds that travel vast distances, much like immigrants who journey to a new home.

The name really demonstrates the wonderful evening we had last week at our hui, bringing together many families across our community.

If you or your whānau have moved to Aotearoa from overseas, please keep an eye out for your termly invitation - we’d love for you to be part of the fun, connection, and celebration.