Nelson s Victory Primary School welcomes new principal Dan George (right). “Even though I’m not Māori, it was an amazing experience,” Santos told those gathered at the pōwhiri. “Take care of him . or else.” Victory Primary School teacher Nelson Teariki led the welcome, with chief executive of Ngāti Rārua, Shane Graham, also speaking at the pōwhiri, attended by scores of community members including principals from schools in the Nelson City Community of Learning/Kāhui Ako ki Whakatū. George said he felt humbled, privileged and excited by his welcome. “From the moment I stepped through the doors into this hall, I felt like I was home.
BRADEN FASTIER / STUFF
Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis and Craig Shepard of Kaitūmata Māori of the Ngāti Koata Trust hongi during the Community launch of Te Hurihanganui at the Victory Community Centre, in Nelson.
A Nelson community has become the fourth in New Zealand to take part a $42 million project addressing racism and bias in the education system. The Associate Minister for Education, Kelvin Davis, on Thursday unveiled Nelson’s Victory community as the latest of the six communities nationwide, participating in the kaupapa, Te Hurihanganui, which started in Porirua last year. Welcomed at Victory Community Centre by representatives of the community, including the region’s eight iwi, and the kapa haka group Ngā Āho Rau – from Nelson College and Nelson College for Girls – Davis said that racism existed in Aotearoa.