Isel Park - Details

Isel Park – Thursday 26 October. Meet 4.30 pm, perform 5.00- 5.30 pm.

Meet 4.30- 4.45 at the side or around the back of Isel house. Once you find the group, please make sure everybody stays together until we perform. There will be Birchwood teachers and parents ‘backstage’ to help out.

Girls: wear kapa dresses to, and home from, Isel park. Dresses can be returned the following day. No spilling tomato sauce on your dress please.

Boys: plain black (school) shorts, and a plain black t-shirt if they wish.

When you arrive:

·      Find a tipare (head band) and tapeka (sash).

·      Shoes, sweaters, etc are folded neatly on your shoes.

·      Girls: find somebody to check whether your dress needs pinning.

Perform from 5- 5.30 pm.

Students need to be delivered to, and collected from Isel park. We cannot let students get home by themselves.

Lastly, a huge plea to send me any film or photos you take for our blog. We don’t get to see ourselves perform!

Ka kite,

Damian Hardman

damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

Isel Park Opening

Wednesday 17 October 2017

Kia ora Koutou!

Te Rakau Whakapapa Isel Market Opening

Isel Park – Thursday 26 October. Meet at 4.30 pm, perform 5.00- 5.30 pm.

Birchwood’s kapa haka group have had a busy time with performances lately! Our final booked performance of this year is at Isel Park next Thursday evening. We have been asked to open the market, which is quite an honour for us.

Te Rakau Whakapapa will meet at Isel house at 4.30 pm. We perform from 5- 5.30 pm. I hope we can get lots of parents, whānau, and other people from our school community to support our students, and Birchwood school.

There will be Birchwood teachers ‘backstage’ to help out, but as always, support from our parents is greatly appreciated!

Our kōtiro will please wear kapa dresses to, and home from, Isel park. Dresses can be returned the following day. Boys are to wear plain black (school) shorts, and a plain black t-shirt if they wish.

Please indicate on the slip below whether your child is able to attend.

If you have any questions or comments, please do let me know.

Ka kite

Damian Hardman

damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

 

Click here to download a copy of this notice.

Click here to give your permission online.

Feel free to email me permission, or send a note to me at school. 

My child ___________________________ of room ______ is able to perform at Isel Market Opening 2017. I take responsibility for getting my child safely to and home from Isel Park.

(   ) I can help on the night.

Parent / caregiver name:                                      Contact number:

Haka Boogie!

20 October: Update

Haka boogie was last night and I think the event was highly successful. Nayland College students were great, all the kapa groups performed well, the audience loved it. 

THANK YOU PARENTS for your on-going support backstage, in the audience, getting our tamariki to and from events.

THANK YOU BIRCHWOOD TEAM for you visibility on the night. I didn't get a chance to speak to each of you, but knowing you were out there was a big boost for me and the students.

THANK YOU STUDENTS for working so hard towards this, and for being so professional on the night. Did you hear how much the audience LOVED Poi E? You've worked hard for that.

Ka kite,

Damian Hardman.

This is not relevant at all, but the dog is wearing a shower cap in the bath.

Kia ora Koutou!

Stoke Cluster Haka Boogie 2017

Nayland College Hall - Thursday 19^th October meeting at 5pm, starting at 5:30.

All schools will be met by their hosts in the hall foyer from 5pm and shown to their allocated classroom to get changed. Your belongings will be safe to be left in the classroom. The evening is usually over by 7.30pm.

Girls will come to Nayland College dressed in their kapa dresses. Boys will wear their black school shorts, and a plain black t-shirt if they wish.

Please indicate on the slip below whether your child is able to attend. If you are dropping off student(s) but not staying, please ensure they are “handed over” to a Birchwood teacher. Students being collected at the end will wait in the hall foyer.

Parent helpers- please let me know if you are available to help us on Thursday.

Whānau- Please bring a plate for shared kai.

Little and easy finger food is ideal. Please label any plates or containers you want back with your name and Birchwood.

If you have any questions or comments, please do let me know.

Click here to download a copy of the letter.

Click here to complete a permission slip online.

 

Ka kite,

Damian Hardman.

damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

Birchwood's Got Talent

Kia ora Koutou!
 

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the tautoko of our parents, many of whom have offered to be parent help for the Birchwood’s Got Talent kapa performance. Thank you!

Students, please bring a (named) bag to school as soon as you can so we can organise your uniform. Uniforms will be sent home with you on Friday. Please return kapa haka uniforms to school, washed, on Monday or as soon as you’re able.


Girls, you need to bring you poi to school every day from now on.

Our waiata for the Birchwood's Got Talent performance are:

E I A I E

Purea Nei

Poi E

Te Rakau Whakapapa Haka

A notice from the Birchwood's Got Talent organisers will be sent home today. This will cover details such as when and where to meet. A copy is pasted below or you can click here to download and print your very own copy.

A separate email will be sent to parent helpers.

Please ask if you have any questions.

Ka kite,

Damian Hardman

damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A NOTICE TO ALL PERFORMERS OF BIRCHWOOD’S GOT TALENT

Hi Performers 

This Friday is the night of the show so here are some final instructions to make everything run smoothly.

• Children in Ukelele or an individual act will come home on Friday with a letter and a number on their hand that corresponds to their act. In the hall there will be seats with corresponding letters and numbers.This is for the children to sit in the order for the show

• Please Arrive at 5:30 The doors will not be opened at the Nayland college hall before this. Also please note the show starts at 6:00 prompt no admission past this time.
• No parents will be allowed back stage so kapa haka students will be escorted backstage by a teacher. If you are in only one act please sit in the seat that matches the letter and number on your hand. All these seats will be at the front on the left of the hall when you enter. Parents with tickets are welcome to walk their children to these seats and then find a seat to watch the show.
• If you are dropping your child off they need to be dropped to the Nayland college foyer where there will be a Performer’s Corner. A teacher will then escort them to their seats or backstage. We are expecting the show to finish at 7:30 for pick up please. We ask that parents picking their children up please wait again back in the performers corner until the show ends once the audience has left you will be able to come into the hall to collect your children.
• If you perform in kapa haka BEFORE YOUR ACT you will be arriving in your kapa uniform so please bring the costume for your act in a clearly labelled plastic bag. You will be responsible for taking this backstage and leaving it in a safe place to change into when you come back from your kapa haka performance. 
  
  

Props

If you require props for your act. These also need to come with you in a clearly labelled plastic bag.

Pick up

We ask all parents collecting children after the show please remain seated until the rest of the audience has left the hall. This way we can safely get your children back to you.

Please don't send food as there is a no food policy in the hall. 

If you have any questions please contact Karen on 0272570528 or leave a message at the school office.

Birchwood's Got Talent Performance

The following notice will go home tomorrow. Please return to me by Friday this week.
 
Kia ora Parents, Caregivers, and Students,

BIRCHWOOD’S GOT TALENT: FRIDAY 22 SEPTEMBER @ NAYLAND COLLEGE

The PTA have worked hard setting up this year’s Birchwood’s Got Talent. This fundraiser is going to be a fun night of performances by our talented tamariki. We hope you will be able to come along too and support your tamariki and kura by bringing them and whānau and by purchasing tickets. Tickets are available now for $5 adults and $2 child.

Te Rakau Whakapapa (kapa haka group) have been invited to open on the night. This is quite an honour and we will have to work hard over the next couple of weeks to get ready.

Your child will need to be at Nayland College hall foyer by 5.30 pm. They will wait backstage in the staffroom. After they have performed for kapa haka, they can get changed into costumes for other performances. The show starts at 6pm and will last about an hour.

Please return the permission slip ASAP (this Friday would be fantastic) to help me plan the performance. More information (when and where to meet, etc) will be sent home slightly closer to the time.

If you are able to parent help on the night backstage, please let me know. Your help will be much appreciated!

Do email, phone, or pop in if you have any questions.

Ka kite,

Damian Hardman,

Kapa Haka Tutor.

damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

Matariki Performance THANKS!

Kia ora Koutou!

I would like say thanks to all the parent help and support for our tamariki in Te Rakau Whakapapa last Friday. Helping students get changed and keeping them calm was awesome. Most importantly, your being there made the event special for them.

Our tamariki have worked so hard and don't get a chance to see themselves perform in all their glory. I wasn't able to take photos or videos of their performance, and would really appreciate any footage you are able to share if you have something. 

Files can be shared by emailing Damian / Mr H, or sending a memory card to school. Videos and photos will be shown to the kapa group, and also shared on Birchwood's Maori@Birchwood blog (with your permission) (http://birchwoodschoolmaori.blogspot.co.nz/). 

Do let me know if you have any queries.

Ka kite ano,

Damian Hardman

damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

Matariki Performance

Kia ora Koutou

Birchwood School is celebrating Matariki tomorrow night (if the weather behaves), or next week (if it doesn't). There is information a-plenty on the school's facebook page and in notices. A notice for kapa haka students was sent home this week. I have cut-and-pasted it below, and provided a google-doc pdf in case you haven't seen it yet.

There have been several returns already, and I would like to thank the parents who have offered to support and help our students on the night: Tracy, Natalie, Jarnnah, Rebecca, and Nicky.

There is a very special student, who isn't even part of our kapa group. Tayah has been helping me with kapa haka dresses this week. She has given up her own time at lunchtimes to help other students find the right size dress, and record their names and sizes. This will make life SO MUCH EASIER on Friday!

A special mention must be made of Te Rakau Whakapapa. Each and every student is working hard to learn waiata-a-ringa. They are all showing manaakitanga, mana, resilience and patience. Their hard work is going to be evident at our first performance!

Excitedly yours,

Damian Hardman
damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

You can view and download the notice here.

Or scroll down to read it....

Te Rakau Whakapapa Performance

Matariki Celebration

Monday 19 July 2017

Kia ora Koutou!

Hopefully you know about Birchwood School’s Matariki celebration this Friday evening. There are details in school notices, posters in classrooms, and on the school’s facebook page. The exciting part is that this will be the Kapa Haka group’s first public performance of the year.

Friday 23 June, 5.30- 7.00/7.30ish. Te Rakau Whakapapa perform            6.15- 6.30

Te Rakau Whakapapa have worked very hard this term under new management and are excited about this performance.

The kapa group will perform at approximately 6.15 to 6.30. I would like the group to wear their costumes, and I will need some parent help to make this happen. Boys are allowed to wear a plain black t-shirt on the night, if they choose.

Kapa students will be expected to be at school at 5pm so we can organise uniforms for them. They will need to get changed back into warm clothes after the performance. Please ensure all clothing is named, and send a supermarket bag or similar to store clothes while we’re performing.

All students need to be supervised or accompanied by an adult for the star hunt. If you’re not able to make it, would you please arrange someone who can, otherwise your child won’t be allowed to join in the star hunt.

Postponement date: in case of inclement weather, the postponement date is 30 June.

Would you please return the slip below either to me in R6, or the office, to indicate your child is coming, whether you or another adult are coming, and whether you can help me on the night. Alternatively, you could email me.

If you have any questions or comments, please do let me know.

Ka kite

Damian Hardman

damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

My child ___________________________ of room ______

	23 June	30 June (pp date)
is able to perform at the Matariki celebration
Either myself or another adult is able to attend
I can help organise dresses etc on the night

Parent / caregiver name:                                                    Best contact (if helping):

 

Nga Waiata ō Matariki

Kia ora Koutou!

Birchwood School are learning a couple of special waiata to help us celebrate and learn more about Matariki. 

Attached is a link to a google-y-a-boo that has videos and words.

Nga Waiata ō Matariki 

You could learn these at home and sing along with us!

I've done my best to translate accurately, but if you see any errors, please let me know so these can be corrected.

Ka kite ano!

Damian Hardman
damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

Matariki Performace

Kia ora Koutou!

We have been practising hard out for our very first performance! The PTA have asked Te Rakau Whakapapa to perform at the Matariki celebration in week 8. 

The Matariki celebration starts at 5.30 on Friday the somethingth in week 8. Families will bring their kai, learn a little about Matariki, look for stars.... and enjoy our performance. More details are out very soon.

Here is a link to the waiata we're performing. Students who need to kupu can print these off double-sided. The translations and music for each waiata can be found elsewhere on this blog.

Click here for the kupu.

I'll do my best to have a paper copy available in case it's easier to photocopy.

Parents: 

It would be great to have some help on the night to help organise people into and out of costumes etc. 

I have invited the boys to wear a plain black t-shirt rather than have bare skin. Some are not keen. Might pay to have one just in case in case it's maka on the night.

Ka kite

Damian Hardman

damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

Special Visitors

Kia ora Koutou

We had a couple of really special visitors at Te Rakau Whakapapa's practise yesterday.

Jensen, a friend of Sophia's. Jensen is an expert kapa haka tutor, who used words like 'tone' and 'notes' while talking about singing.

Bec, who is also an expert kapa expert. She brought Tigger with her, who giggled and explored. She is completely cute- if you look up 'cute' in the dictionary, you get a picture of her. Her giggles and exploring brought life to our practise and gave us something to focus on.

Matt, who helped support us by making sure the boys at the back were paying attention.

Thank you so much to Jensen, Bec, Tigger and Matt for coming. We do kapa haka partly because we enjoy it, but mostly because it makes all our effort worthwhile. Kapa haka is for our audience, so it's great having an audience there. 

I'd also like to acknowledge a couple of real leaders:
Flynn, for organising the boys to practising the haka, and being able to lead so well.

Xavier, for overcoming his whakamā and leading the difficult end bit of 'Ko Toku Marae'.

Lastly, thank you to all of you who did you mahi kainga and practised Poi E. Aue, did you all sound great!

Ka kite

Damian / Mr H
damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

P.S. This post was to have been posted last week, and refer's to kapa practise in week 9.

Haka Practise

Kia ora Koutou

I have been very impressed at the dedication and commitment our boys have shown to learning and practising the haka. They practise in their own time, and demonstrate our GROW values. Yesterday, after they blew my eardrums away, I realised I had a magic device in my pocket which allows me to record images and even short movies, and then share said images and movies with other people. Wow- welcome to the 20th century!

Kei te pai Flynn, Lincoln, Jesse, Kieran, Verdon, Isaac, Cruz, Edward, Mason, and Hadlee. Mean pukana!

I found a link to Shep showing us how the haka looks and sounds. Have a lookee at it when you can.

Te Rakau Whakapapa Haka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQbmxj7enaI

Ka kite ano!

Damian Hardman

damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

Getting there....

Kia ora Koutou

This blog has been undergoing some pretty awesome changes lately. One, it looks better. Two, there are more waiata being uploaded. There are more waiata we'd like to share. Also, we're looking into some user-friendly slide-shows of the words. If I were clever, I'd be able to use imovie or something and make karaoke versions of some of these. Alas, that is not to be.

I would like to acknowledge the strength and leadership shown by some of our tamariki in Te Rakau Whakapapa.

Bridget identified that year 3s weren't able to join in the senior kapa group, so she came to me with some friends and helped me organise special lunchtime practises.

Flynn has been motivating me to include He Kakano, and a haka, into our repertoire. 

There are many students who show leadership by turning up on time, or letting me know if they're going to be late, by focusing on singing well and trying their best. 

Input, questions and feedback is always appreciated. If you'd like to help support our kapa group, please let me know.
 
Ka kite,

Damian Hardman
Kapa Haka Tutor
damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz

Nau Mai, Haere Mai!

Kia ora Koutou!

Nau mai, haere mai, welcome to Birchwood School and Te Rakau Whakapapa's he kite waiata.

As you will see, somewhere on this page are links to the waiata we are learning. Each waiata will have its own page, so it'll be easier to find specific songs. Each page will have information, like what we are singing (meaning of song), a translation, and a history/ background where available.

For the kapa haka crew- it's important you know what you are singing, so do take the time to read and understand the English too.

This is currently a work-in-progress, so please bear with us while construction is underway.

Please do let me know if you spot any errors, or if you'd like to see a new waiata here.

Ka kite

Damian Hardman
Kapahaka tutor
damian.hardman@birchwood.school.nz