Educational path to Ratana values

BEING greeted with lilting waiata by the children of Te Kura Ratana in a powhiri was an emotional and heartwarming experience.

These children of Ratana sing with love and welcome. They are happy to meet you and happy to have you at their kura.

Even though the roll has declined, like most schools over the years there are always new children and new families expected in Ratana.

Principal Te Rangi Hemi said because the school was unique in that it adhered to the religious teachings of T W Ratana himself, many followers throughout New Zealand wanted their children to learn and pray at this bilingual kura.

``So we always have children arriving here. They don't always live here at Ratana. Many families live in town in Wanganui.''

This little kura is central in all the community events at Ratana, especially those that celebrate important events relating to the Ratana faith, she said.

``The children are an important part of everything we celebrate and do here.''

Kapa haka is the main focus of the school's performing arts programme, with all the students practising and learning their kapa haka once a week, she said.

``We encourage them to show and to develop their essential traditional skills with confidence and pride ... and they do _ they all do _ because they love to do it,'' Ms Hemi said.

And over the past few years the small school has achieved outstanding successes in kapa haka. In the National Mana Ariki Primary Schools Competitions, Te Kura o Ratana was one of the winning schools.

These Ratana children are top priority for the staff at the kura and a constant message to these youngsters is always to ``spark the dream within''.

Their founder, Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, is revered as the last of the great prophets. Ratana was a man of great spiritual faith, who believed in the power of prayer and was to become the greatest spiritual leader who had ever moved among the Maori people.

The Holy Spirit is said to have came to Ratana when the world was in a period of global war (1914-18). The Holy Spirit empowered Wiremu Ratana with the gift of evangelism allowing him to go forth and preach the word of God (1919-39). He carried the Holy Bible in his right hand and the Treaty of Waitangi in his left hand as his vehicle through his 20-year ministry spreading aboard this great revelation.

His mission was to unite the Maori people, turning them from their old beliefs in evil spirits; tohungaism and black magic, leading them back to God.

The power of prayer is very much a part of the school day. The children pray before and after school and sometimes during the day as well.

``Our children practise the beliefs of Ratana and are blessed every day.''

The school is not a Kura Kaupapa Maori, school, she said.

``That's not what we're here for though we are bilingual.''

In the playground during break there is a contented atmosphere among these children.

Some sit eating a snack and talking, while others play and laugh ... everyone, it seems, is completely agreeable with whatever activity is happening.

There is no yelling, but there are lots of giggles doing the rounds.

The only concern for the kura in the village is that some parents have chosen to send children to a mainstream kura instead.

``Yes, we have found that a little difficult ... our board is looking at strategies to increase our roll.''

Whatever happens, all whanau are included in the decision at Te Kura o Ratana, she said.

``We are a very important part of the Ratana community and everyone cares about our kura.''

Fortunately the board is now made up of enthusiastic, young parents, strong in the Ratana faith.

``We have great support ... our whole community cares.''-->-->-->-->