Traditional Māori games practitioners gather for Skills Active assessor learning event

Skills Active recently brought together their ngā taonga tākaro (traditional Māori games) trainee assessors and tauira (learners) from around the motu (country), for a wānanga (group learning event) held at Kokiri Marae in Wellington.

The group spent their time exchanging ideas and techniques, testing knowledge, building professional networks and solidifying their assessment practices.

The new assessors are Karla Matua from Aktive Auckland, Troy Tawhai from Te Kete Hauora o Rangitāne, Wiremu Sarich from Te Oranga Te Runanga o Te Rarawa (pictured above), and Kat Te Tau from Whaiora Whānui Hauora. 

Skills Active industry engagement advisor Chauntelle Brown and assessor liaison Lizzie Parker organised the wānanga and noho marae (overnight stay) in partnership with senior assessor mentor John Kingi of Kokiri Marae Keriana Olsen Trust (pictured below, far left).

Karla, Troy, Wiremu and Kat are well-known in their respective communities and have been a part of the tākaro kaupapa (initiative) for a number of years. They come to Skills Active with a wealth of expertise in tākaro, teaching and learning. 

Through this wānanga they will be able to achieve the national Assessment Practice unit standard, and become registered Skills Active assessors, supporting tākaro learners around Aotearoa.

“Our mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge and education) stakeholders were central to the process of developing and launching our taonga tākaro qualification,” says Skills Active COO Maren Frerichs.

“So it was a proud moment for them and us, and there was a lot of aroha (love) and excitement, when it finally arrived last year. And now, getting more assessors on board means more people to support the taonga tākaro sector,” Ms Frerichs says.

“For those taonga tākaro practitioners who wish to get a formal qualification recognising this uniquely Māori kaupapa, their assessors will tautoko (support) that learning journey. Together they will be contributing to more awesome tākaro experiences for iwi (tribes), hapu (sub-tribes), whānau (families and extended families) and communities.”

Image top: One of the new assessors, Wiremu Sarich from Te Oranga Te Runanga o Te Rarawa; image above: Skills Active ngā taonga tākaro group learning event