Some time ago I found an old wiro notebook in a drawer. A scruffy wiro bound notebook with a photo of 2 men in a kayak with a bear on the front cover. In that notebook I found terrible sketches drawn in pencil made while travelling in 1991. One sketch leapt out at me. It was a rough pencil sketch of Mt Ararat from a backpacking trip to eastern Turkey. The sketch really surprised me – it was a very basic pencil sketch, drawn using a .5mm technical pencil on a cheap notepad. The sketch is just black and white… To my surprise the sounds and smells of the day came flooding back. Meeting some Kurdish goat herders and their flock near the base of Mt Ararat, about 10km from the Iranian border on a bright sunny but cool, alpine day. Along with memories of driving across the mountain steppe in an old Renault 19 and the smells of chai and coffee in a Doğubayazıt pasta solunu. It all came back come flooding back! Why did it evoke such vivid memories? I’m not really sure to be honest. Maybe t...
One of the highlights for year 5 Ponsonby Primary students is an overnight stay at the Orakei Marae across town.
It isn't often that the opportunity comes up to stay in any marae let alone one with such a hard fought history, so I gladly agreed to help out with my daughters class (and with any luck squeeze a few sketches in).
There weren't that many opportunities to be honest, between the traditional powhiri, hearding children, enjoying their singing, skits on Maori myths, helping with meals, activities, clean-up and of course chaotic communal sleeping with over 85 students and parent helpers!
Here are a few quick sketches. The Whare Tupuna...
Detail of the gable end (left), Tekoteko/figurehead at top of gable (right)...
Almost lights out, actually the kids were pretty well behaved, and lay in the dark quietly listening to a hilarious story read by headmistress Anne Malcolm...
I think all of the children really enjoyed themselves and learned a huge amount (I'm always astounded by how much they take on and do really well anyway). I honestly feel privileged to have had the opportunity to experience the marae up close too.
It isn't often that the opportunity comes up to stay in any marae let alone one with such a hard fought history, so I gladly agreed to help out with my daughters class (and with any luck squeeze a few sketches in).
There weren't that many opportunities to be honest, between the traditional powhiri, hearding children, enjoying their singing, skits on Maori myths, helping with meals, activities, clean-up and of course chaotic communal sleeping with over 85 students and parent helpers!
Here are a few quick sketches. The Whare Tupuna...
Detail of the gable end (left), Tekoteko/figurehead at top of gable (right)...
Almost lights out, actually the kids were pretty well behaved, and lay in the dark quietly listening to a hilarious story read by headmistress Anne Malcolm...
I think all of the children really enjoyed themselves and learned a huge amount (I'm always astounded by how much they take on and do really well anyway). I honestly feel privileged to have had the opportunity to experience the marae up close too.
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