Nelson Intermediate Lunch Time Sessions

‘These sessions are opportunities for members of the community to share their awesome cultural taonga and experience with our ākonga. It is also an opportunity for our ākonga to be exposed to things that they hadn't seen before. In term 1, we ran a similar project inviting an Afro-Colombian dance group and a Meditation/Yoga group into our school. Both of these programmes offered really engaging and exciting lessons to our ākonga - both initiatives had a stable group of around 10 students attending weekly. At the end of the term the Afro Colombian dance group presented what they had been working on to the whole school during assembly. These programmes allowed the members of the community to not only share their cultural taonga with our ākonga but these things are both preserved and valued. We show that at school we value the knowledge and experience of our migrant/immigrant communities when we invite these groups in. I really appreciate the support of Shared Communities Whakatū Nelson in delivering the project in Term 1.’

‘Nelson Intermediate has a very diverse student population, some of which include: chin dancing, afro-Colombian dancing, the many languages of our school population, Pasifika traditions.’ Chris Mulholland

Photos by Kat Beyle https://www.wiphala.co.nz/