Food Security Event at Te Aroha Pa

Garden to Table is all about building practical skills, confidence in the kitchen and garden, and a real connection to where food comes from. Term 2 has been a busy and inspiring one for the programme across the Upper North region, with tamariki getting outdoors and learning about te taiao (the natural world) in all sorts of settings, both inside and well beyond the school garden. Here's one recent highlight. 

Last month, the Garden to Table team attended Te Taiao Wānanga, a special event held at Te Aroha Pā Marae in Makarau, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. The wānanga (learning gathering) was organised by Auckland Council’s Sustainable Schools team in partnership with the marae and brought together six local schools. Around 200 tamariki rotated through a range of workshops covering sustainability, kai and environmental learning, alongside many other organisations sharing the work they do in their communities and for the environment. 

It was a beautiful day on the marae grounds, and the warmth and generosity (manaakitanga) shown by the local community to everyone who attended made the occasion all the more special. 

At the Garden to Table station, tamariki were introduced to a pūrākau, a traditional story, explaining how kūmara first arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand from Hawaiki. From there, the learning turned hands-on: tamariki worked in small teams to prepare a Garden to Table recipe of kūmara coins with bonfire mayo. They took turns chopping, mixing and seasoning, practising safe knife skills along the way, before cooking and sharing the finished kai together. 

The response from the tamariki was wonderful to see. Many left excited to recreate the dish at home with their whānau, taking what they'd learned in the kitchen back into their own homes and communities. It was a great example of how a simple shared meal can connect learning, culture and community all at once. 

This event is a great reminder of what's possible when schools, communities and organisations come together around kai, culture and care for the whenua (land) and we were so honoured to be a part of it.