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  2. Students gain lifesaving water safety skills

“Ko te whāinga nui, ko te whakamanawa i ngā tamariki kia noho haumaru i te wai, ahakoa kei te taha moana, te taha awa, te taha roto rānei.” 

- Mark Haimona, Aotearoa Water Patrol

I tērā wahanga o te tau, huihui ai te tini o ngā tamariki nō ngā tōpito e whā o te rohe o Waikato ki Whāingaroa ako ai i ngā āhuatanga whakahaumaru wai.

E whā ngā kura tuatahi i uru atu ai ki Ka Hura Tangata ki Tai, he hōtaka hōu tā te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Waikato hei whakapakari i ngā pūkenga whakahaumaru wai o te moana ō ngā tamariki.

Ki tā Mark Haimona, te kaiwhakarite o te hōtaka nei, ko te kaukau me ngā momo korikori i te wai ētehi tino runaruna ā te tangata, nā reira me mātua mōhio ngā tamariki ki ngā āhuatanga o Tangaroa, āna ngaru, āna rere, āna kume, āna mōrearea me āna manaakitanga.

“Ko te wheako te matua o te whakaaro nui,” te kī a Haimona. “Ko te whāinga nui, ko te whakamanawa i ngā tamariki kia noho haumaru i te wai, ahakoa kei te taha moana, te taha awa, te taha roto rānei. Mā te whakaatu, ka mōhio; mā te haratau, ka mātau; mā te mātau, ka ora.

“Ako ai ngā tauira ki ngā pūkenga wai mō te moana, ngā tūmomo kauhoe me ngā mahi tiaki tangata, ngā āhuatanga mōrearea ki rō wai me ngā taputapu haumaru, me te mahi ekengaru hoki.”

Earlier this year, students from around the region gathered in Raglan to learn about ocean and water safety.

Involving four schools so far, Ka Hura Tangata ki Tai is a new educational programme being delivered by Waikato Regional Council aimed at building ocean and water safety skills among children.

Water safety expert Mark Haimona says swimming and water-related activities are a favourite Kiwi pastime, so teaching children how to stay safe in and around water is crucial along with fostering caution and respect for ocean environments.

Mr Haimona says the students learn practical and essential lifesaving skills. “Ka Hura Tangata ki Tai is about building water safety confidence and awareness by engaging our tamariki in fun ways, hands on and in the water.

“The students learn various swimming and rescuing techniques, how to recognise hazards in the water and about the different types of safety equipment, and even give surfing a go.”

Student Nikau surfing in Raglan Nikau Graham-Puru, 12, from Tōku Māpihi Maurea Kura Kaupapa Māori

Ko Nikau Graham-Puru, 12, rāua ko Hariki Baker-Thompson, 13, o Tōku Māpihi Maurea Kura Kaupapa Māori ētehi o ngā tauira o tēnei hōtaka.

Pārekareka katoa ana te hōtaka ki a rāua me te kī, “he pai rawa ngā mahi eke ngaru nō te mea ko tā māua wā tuatahi, waihoki i ako mātou i ngā momo kaukau kia kore ai te mōrearea e pā mai ki a mātou.

“Me whakarongo hoki te tangata ki te reo o te taiao kia kore ai te tangata e taka ki te hē.”

Ki tā Laura Hawksworth, Tumuaki o Tōku Māpihi Maurea, he kaupapa mīharo tēnei mō ā tātou nei tamariki me ana tini wheako.

“Ahakoa te nui o ngā akoranga, i hīkaka tonu ngā tauira ki te ako, ki te whakaharatau hoki i a rātou pūkenga hōu. Tēnā, e mihi ana ki Te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Waikato me Aotearoa Water Patrol i tō rātou tautoko me te whakatū i te kaupapa nei.”

Ko ngā kura i whai wā ki te hōtaka, Ka Hura Tangata ki Tai, i tēnei tau ko: Tōku Māpihi Maurea Kura Kaupapa Māori, Te Wharekura o Kirikiriroa, Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Pātetere me Te Wharekura o Manaia.

Student Hariki surfing in Raglan Hariki Baker-Thompson, 13, from Tōku Māpihi Maurea Kura Kaupapa Māori

Nikau Graham-Puru, 12, and Hariki Baker-Thompson, 13, from Tōku Māpihi Maurea Kura Kaupapa Māori are two students who took part in the programme.

The duo thoroughly enjoyed the programme, saying “learning how to surf was really cool because we had never done it before, and learning swimming techniques so we know what to do if we get into trouble.

“We also learnt how important it is to pay attention to the environment to avoid danger.”

For school principal, Laura Hawksworth, the programme is worthwhile for students with its many learnings.

“While the programme is extensive, the students showed enthusiasm to learn and put their new skills to the test. I’d like to thank Waikato Regional Council and Aotearoa Water Patrol for their support and delivery of this programme.”

The schools who took part in Ka Hura Tangata ki Tai this year are: Tōku Māpihi Maurea Kura Kaupapa Māori, Te Wharekura o Kirikiriroa, Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Pātetere and Te Wharekura o Manaia.

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