Our kura was gifted this ataahua taonga tokotoko by Whaea Ripeka Lessels, who was one of the foundation Kaiako when Tahatai Coast School opened in 1996. On her departure Whaea Ripeka commissioned James Tapiata from Te Puna to carve the tokotoko, which can now be seen on entrance to our office.

Significance of Tokotoko
Tokotoko, or the orator’s staff’ are a common sight among Māori and are most frequently seen on the paepae of mārae, or at formal occasions where a kaikōrero (orator) is required. Tokotoko are most frequently carried by males and are a traditional sign of an orator, skilled in the arts of whaikōrero, karakia, and storytelling. Tokotoko usually draw the attention of a viewer due to the whakairo or carvings that frequently adorn them.

Two magnificent panels are hung at the back of the school hall.  These panels were originally mounted in the foyer when the school first opened in 1996.  They were designed and painted by James Tapiata.  The pātiki/flounder on the left hand image, confused 5 year olds entering Tahatai.  During their journey, they gain more knowledge which you can see in the flounder as they become darker, until they graduate at the end of Year 6.  When they leave our learning community, they are again confused about what the future holds for them.  The symbolic foamy waves show this.  

Two magnificent panels are hung at the back of the school hall.  These panels were originally mounted in the foyer when the school first opened in 1996.  They were designed and painted by James Tapiata.  The pātiki/flounder on the left hand image, confused 5 year olds entering Tahatai.  During their journey, they gain more knowledge which you can see in the flounder as they become darker, until they graduate at the end of Year 6.  When they leave our learning community, they are again confused about what the future holds for them.  The symbolic foamy waves show this.  

Two magnificent panels are hung at the back of the school hall.  These panels were originally mounted in the foyer when the school first opened in 1996.  They were designed and painted by James Tapiata.  The pātiki/flounder on the left hand image, confused 5 year olds entering Tahatai.  During their journey, they gain more knowledge which you can see in the flounder as they become darker, until they graduate at the end of Year 6.  When they leave our learning community, they are again confused about what the future holds for them.  The symbolic foamy waves show this.  

The ‘Celebrating Tauranga Moana’ mural is located on the end of the school hall facing Evans Road.  This mural was designed and painted in 2022 by a group of Tahatai students working with Anna Fox, a local artist and educator.  It depicts the beautiful place in which we live between the sea, land and sky.  The area on the Pāpāmoa coast was rich in harakeke that was made into rope for trade.  The seven native birds represent the seven school Whānau/Family which are each of our year level teams (Years 0-6).    

The ‘Celebrating Tauranga Moana’ mural is located on the end of the school hall facing Evans Road.  This mural was designed and painted in 2022 by a group of Tahatai students working with Anna Fox, a local artist and educator.  It depicts the beautiful place in which we live between the sea, land and sky.  The area on the Pāpāmoa coast was rich in harakeke that was made into rope for trade.  The seven native birds represent the seven school Whānau/Family which are each of our year level teams (Years 0-6).    

In 2023, all of our classes worked with Whaea Pauline Martin individually to learn the skills necessary to design and create a tukutuku panel that represented them as a collective.  The tukutuku panels are proudly displayed in the school hall and breathes life into this whare so that it feels more welcoming, homely, and be a place the tamariki and kaimahi could connect with in more depth.  Detailed descriptions of the individual panels are displayed at the back of the hall. 

In 2023, all of our classes worked with Whaea Pauline Martin individually to learn the skills necessary to design and create a tukutuku panel that represented them as a collective.  The tukutuku panels are proudly displayed in the school hall and breathes life into this whare so that it feels more welcoming, homely and be a place the tamariki and kaimahi could connect with in more depth.  Detailed descriptions of the individual panels are displayed at the back of the hall. 

In 2023, all of our classes worked with Whaea Pauline Martin individually to learn the skills necessary to design and create a tukutuku panel that represented them as a collective.  The tukutuku panels are proudly displayed in the school hall and breathes life into this whare so that it feels more welcoming, homely and be a place the tamariki and kaimahi could connect with in more depth.  Detailed descriptions of the individual panels are displayed at the back of the hall. 

In 2023, all of our classes worked with Whaea Pauline Martin individually to learn the skills necessary to design and create a tukutuku panel that represented them as a collective.  The tukutuku panels are proudly displayed in the school hall and breathes life into this whare so that it feels more welcoming, homely and be a place the tamariki and kaimahi could connect with in more depth.  Detailed descriptions of the individual panels are displayed at the back of the hall. 

The Tapa cloth that hangs in the school hall was donated by the Latu family.  It was donated in thanks as a remembrance of Havea and Siua who attended Tahatai.  The family moved to the USA with the intention of not returning.  Fortunately that was not the case.  

Tapa Cloth in Tongan society is very precious and is given at special occasions to those who are held in great respect.  It is seen as valuable and very difficult to come by, due to how long it takes and how hard they are to make.  Everything is done by hand.  Tongan women of the village have the difficult task of beating the bark of the Hiapo Tree till pliable, drying it out in the sun and painting and dyeing the cloth all by hand.  It is a labour of love!  

The waka huia/treasure box that sits in our trophy cabinet in the office was carved by Whare Thompson to hold midden that was excavated from the school site in 1995.  It is carved out of Totara, adorned with Patiki designs which are a symbol of manākitanga/hospitality.  The surface pattern was influenced by the two painted kowhaiwhai panels by James Tapiata which are in the school hall.  It depicts the children’s journey of gaining knowledge and also depicts the in-coming and out-going tides which represents the students of Tahatai, past, present and future.     

Sitting inside the waka huia in the school office is a midden that was dug up when the school was first excavated in 1995.  A midden is a place where the remains of food (such as shellfish and bones), ash and charcoal from fires, and other traces of settlement can be found.  The midden at Tahatai consists of shells that were left after opening shellfish.  Many different midden were found when the school was built.       

A mural designed and painted in 2019 by local artist Alex McLeod is located on the end of our Kids Club Building.  The mural portrays the school’s ‘place’ in Pāpāmoa - from a cultural, geographic and community perspective.  Alex also designed and painted the large ‘Tahatai’ mural on the bike container that faces the school field.  This eye-catching mural can be seen as you drive along the front of the school on Evans Road.     

A signalling trumpet called a pūtātara or pūmoana is made by adding a wooden mouthpiece to a conch shell.  This Tahatai taonga has been embellished by carving a double face on the mouthpiece.  This represents the two different sounds it can produce, the male trumpeting voice, and the female crying sound of Hine Mokemoke, the Lonesome Maiden.  Tiny shells have been added and a circle of cockerel feathers replaces the traditional adornment of native bird feathers cementing the links between land and sea worlds which are encapsulated in this taonga.  The mouthpiece and plinth are carved from native matai and burnishing oil mixed with traditional ground kokowai is included as a very special stain.  The Tahatai Pūtātara is played at special events.  It was made by Brian Flintoff and gifted to the school by Bec Power, a former Deputy Principal of Tahatai that left the school in 2016.    

We asked Ngā Pōtiki how we could have a physical connection and representation of our mana whenua at Tahatai.  It was decided that we would climb Kōpūkairoa, the maunga of Ngā Pōtiki, and the father tōhora/whale of the pūrakau/traditional story of Ngā Maunga Tōhora/The Three Whales, to find a mauri/life source.  We ended up choosing two mauri, with one being located inside the main office to the right of the main doors.  This sits upon a carving by Sarhn Broederlow, which is a piece of one of the pou located at the front of the school.  The other mauri is buried between the three pou and is connected by a piece of wood that extends above the ground.  The two mauri were named by a group of Tahatai students that worked with Ngākohu Pāpuni, from Ngā Pōtiki.  The mauri in the main office block was named Hangahanga which is an old word for rautaki/strategy.  Hangahanga, was the pā on Mangatawa where Tamapahore, an ancestor of Ngā Pōtiki, resided.  The second mauri that was buried between the pou makes a connection with Hikurangi, the baby whale, and was named Te Kākano ō Waiū.  This being the spring at the base of Mangatawa that Ngā Maunga Tōhora came to drink from in the traditional story of Ngā Pōtiki.  Te Kākano ō Waiū is the spring of sustenance, strength and success.  Very fitting for our kura.