Whare / House System

A house system was first introduced to Otumoetai College in 1965. The houses were named Green, Red, Yellow and Blue. In 1966 the Houses changed names, Green became Bell (named after the first Board Chairperson), Red became Mitchell (named after a foundation Board member and Tauranga mayor), Yellow became Walsh (named after the local member of Parliament), and Blue became Webber (named after the foundation Principal). This house system was retired in 1972.

In the past two years we have trialled a vertical whare / house system for our Year 9 (in 2019) and then Year 9 and 10 cohorts (in 2020). The purpose of this trial was to increase our students’ sense of belonging and inclusion. Due to the success of this trial, we decided to fully adopt a whare system as from 2021. The name of the houses are Ōtanewainuku, Pūwhenua, Maunganui, Manunui, and Karewa. Prominent local maunga (mountains) that frame the Ngai Tamarawaho (our local hapu) rohe (region).

Our goal is to align the whare characteristics with our school values. As our understanding of what each whare could be, it is our hope that these learnings will be transplanted back into the classroom.

Otanewainuku, te pou rangatira ki uta hō! Otanewainuku, the inland pillar of starength and pride

The chief mountain that marks the original boundary line between Waitaha/Tapuika and Te Arawa. The mountain of the parting waters, where the clouds met the land, and the rain leaves the sky.

Ōtanewainuku stands tall in the Hautere forest and marks the boundary of Tapuika on the Te Puke side to the east, Te Arawa in the Rotorua area to the south, and Ngai Tamarawaho the hapū of Ngāti Ranginui locaal to our kura. He was the chiefly victor in the quest against Maunganui for the hand of Pūwhenua the maiden maunga to the west of where he stands. Because of his charisma and presence, her heart beat only for him hence the journey Maunganui made from where they are to where he now stands.

Puwhenua

Puwhenua, te rākau tapu o Takitimu hō! Puwhenua, where the mauri of Takitimu waka resided

The site where the sacred tree was selected by Tamatea for the Takitimu canoe.

In approximately A.D. 1100’s a great chief Waitaha gave a great tree so that the sacred Takitimu Waka could be built. The maunga that this rākau came from is called Pūwhenua and still stands in the islands of Samoa. Two to three centuries later in approx A.D 1350, Tamatea-Ariki-Nui, captained Takitimu Waka to lead a voyage comprising a fleet of sacred waka from the tropical islands of Hawaiki to Aotearoa. Upon seeing Pūwhenua he seen it resembled the maunga in Samoa where the origins of his waka came from and so named her Pūwhenua. From the peak of Pūwhenua her sight reaches Maunganui to the North and as far as Tongariro to the south.

Manunui

Manunui, Te waha o te Marangai, hō! Manunui, the mouthway to Ngai Tamarawaho

The bountiful garden beds of Manunui Pā at the borders of Hangarau. Renowned for prevailing winds or turbulence of this section of the Tauranga harbour.

Manunui is a significant pā site, a Pā Tūwatawata, a fortified pā. Manunui Pā gave protection and security to this part of the boundaries of Ngai Tamarāwaho from it’s high vantage point. This maunga and pā overlooks Te Waha o te Marangai down below toward Bethlehem, North West into the harbour to Hangarau, and North across to Oreanui and Matuaiwi on the end of Matua Peninsula. A significant history of Manunui talks of a Kāroro, a seagull, witnessing and singing the tale of a wāhine down below in a nearby estuary. Where she took it upon herself to avoid a great wrong being done to her and in doing so preserving what she saw as an unwanted future. From the lament of the Kāroro, her legacy of Mana Wāhine was forged for eternity.

Maunganui, kia tu rangatira i te ao, i te po hō! Maunganui, the chief mountain standing strong through day and night!

From the journey Maunganui made from Hautere after leaving his quest to obtain the heart of Pūwhenua, he came to stand here at the mouth of Tauranga Moana where he could stand chiefly in his own light as he heralds the light of the dawn each morning. Here he became a beacon of safety, and a symbol of home for all who reside within his view. Upon the arrival of Takitimu waka at Te Awaiti at the base of the maunga, Tamatea-Ariki-Nui instilled two mauri stones brought with him from their home lands in Hawaiki. One at the peak of Maunganui, the other under water within Tirikawa. This deed signified the arrival of his people to their new homeland, bringing with them all the whakapapa and mana of their home and history from Hawaiki.

Te Kuia me ōna kuri is a kohatu, a rock that faces out North West towards Matakana Island at the entrance to the harbour, where a great sacrifice was made by a kuia to warn her people of an approaching danger. This rock is significant to all that venture from the harbour out to sea where koha is given to invoke safe journeying and return in the same manner as Te Kuia me ōna kuri enabled her people to remain safe from the dangers that lie seaward. An acknowledgment of the big mountain, as named by Tamatea and his unwavering strength throughout time.

Karewa

Karewa, te whenua ahurea o Taurikura hō! Karewa, the sacred lands of our guardian Taurikura.

The sacred sanctuary of our guardian Taurikura nestled in Te Moana a Toi competing against the elements. Still today Taurikura’s paradise is somewhat untouched enhancing this precious land.

This island is the home of Taurikura and her descendants of tuatara. Taurikura once lived as a young woman in the midst of her people in Taumata below Ōtanewainuku and Pūwhenua. Her story begins with her koro asking her to fetch water from the spring below the pā to which she refused leaving him having to make the journey himself. Upon his return she partook of the water and emptied the calabash. In his frustration her koro scolded her for her misdeed. As a result she left Taumata and her people. Taking on the essence of tuatara, she went to live on Karewa where it was said nothing could survive. Her story is one of growth, change, and resilience to turn what others disregarded into her own path forging her own legacy.