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Robyn Edie/Stuff
The Rangatahi Tumeke Charitable Trust celebrates 10 years at the Te Rau Aroha marae in Bluff on Friday night. Pictured in front is the founding family, from left, Ataahua Tuhi, 12, Stevie-Rae Blair, Steph Blair, Josh Blair and Mel Blair.
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.
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”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.
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