Every year we take a team of experienced senior performers to Te Manahuna to lay the foundations of leadership for the year to come. We wānanga our values, we set goals and we challenge them to think outside the square. The programme was established to help support our young leaders to show their leadership skills and to help those potential leaders to carry more responsibility within the group.
We are still feeling the effects of 2020 and the Covid lockdown that shut down all of our big performances, which would have given this cohort of Tititrei much needed experience. Although there is still some trepidation among them they are ready to take on the challenges in front of them in 2021.
We incorporate leadership into all of the rangatahi kaupapa that we coordinate. Our identified Titirei are given numerous opportunities through Takere, Tira Tū, Waewae Kai Pakiaka, and Ka Hao te Rakatahi to work with each other in pairs, to work with individuals and groups to lead, to advise, and to guide.
This year we started our Friday night with our wānanga, setting expectations of ourselves and each other. We made some decisions around our first practice, which is coming up on the following Monday, Waewae Kai Pakiaka and the annual Rā Aukaha. The Titirei hold positions of leadership in all of these kaupapa. Saturday is a big day starting early with an hour bike ride around Te Manahuna. We have a bit of lunch and head to the hōpua wai at Ruataniwha where we have our canoe challenge. In groups of two they learn about working together and the impotance of communication. This year's challenge was won convincingly by Maia and Te Atarau. Back to Te Whare Mahana for a kai and then into the Amazing Race around the township. This is another opportunity to work as a team to be the fastest to complete the challenges and get back to Te Whare Mahana within the alotted time. This race was taken out by Ella, Andre, Vanessa and Te Atarau. Obviously Te Atarau thought he was the winning formula in both competitions.
On Sunday we headed up the Hooker Valley track, a three hour trek to a glacial lake at the foot of Aoraki Mauka. This was another great kaupapa and a great way to start our year off.
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