‘Our kids are the atua of the space’: Papamīharo creates space for taitamariki at Waitangi

Source: Radio New Zealand

At Waitangi, Papamīharo stands out as an intentional space.

The colourful, immersive tent has invited mokopuna, rangatahi and whānau to slow down, reconnect and “simply be”. Creating room for play, imagination and rest, grounded in the principles of taakaro, or indigenous play.

Designed by mokopuna, for mokopuna across Te Tai Tokerau, the space positions children as leaders – “atua of the space”.

Papamīharo has been evolving for nearly six years. Led by ĀKAU Foundation, the space is a collaboration between Whetū Marewa, the Children’s Commission, Mana Mokopuna and schools across the rohe.

Kaimahi at ĀKAU Joe Henare and spatial designer Hope Pūriri have both been involved in this year’s presence.

They said that rather than emerging from a single vision, the kaupapa grew out of a shared concern from whānau, hapū and iwi around Te Tai Tokerau – that Waitangi is often experienced through an adult lens, with children expected to follow along.

“Well, going into this, we weren’t alone,” Henare said.

“It was a want, a need from our community, from our iwi, from our hapū. If you look around the Waitangi space, it’s a very adult space, and our kids are usually just dragged along for the ride.”

Papamīharo offered an alternative – an immersive, hands-on environment where people of all ages were encouraged to take part.

Fun was central to the kaupapa, but not in a “loud or over-stimulating way”, Henare said. Instead, the space was designed to support different ages, energies and rhythms, from pēpi through to kaumātua.

“This year, we’ve just gone for it and created this beautiful mokopuna space for our mokopuna, where our kids are the atua of the space.”

Intergenerational care

Intergenerational care was also key, Pūriri and Henare explained. Throughout the week, kaumātua and kaitiaki had been present to support the space and those moving through it.

“Papamīharo came together with kōhanga reo babies, preschoolers, through to our school kids, but our older kids too… A lot of it’s been around this creation of ideas of taonga tākoro,” Pūriri said.

“So we’ve got some of our kaumātua from around who’ve been amazing, and just coming along on the journey with us, being here to manaaki, all of us throughout this time, ensuring that our babies, our tamariki and our whānau are safe during their time here,” she added.

The space itself had been shaped directly by tamariki and rangatahi. Schools from across Te Tai Tokerau were given design packs, resources and timeframes, with everyone’s mahi coming out “completely different”.

“So, we gave out design packs to each school. They all had the same resources, the same tohu, the same timeframes, but yet we have 1000 different variations of the same thing. And that is beautiful. It speaks to the individualism of each child,” Henare said.

There had been poi and rākau making, tamataiki weaving, and manu rere making, amidst climbing structures and shelters, many made from recycled and natural materials.

Every piece reflected what mattered to the child who created it.

“They’ll see that whānau is important to them. They’ll see that learning is important to them. And our challenge to the school is, does your curriculum reflect what your kids want?” Henare said.

Underlying Papamīharo was a belief that children did not need to be taught how to play – they already knew.

“For us here, they’re the teachers. They’re the ones who know how to naturally play, who have vivid imaginations, who are free to express themselves inside these walls,” Henare added.

That belief was echoed by Children’s Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad, who saw Papamīharo as a place where play and culture existed together.

“It’s a week and a day for everyone in Aotearoa, Māori, Pākehā, and what I’ve heard from taitamariki here in Te Tai Tokerau is the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi for them; they’ve talked to me about how it’s an important document… for all people.

“They want more taitamariki to feel empowered with knowledge about Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” Achmad added. “Here… taitamariki are sharing their whakaaro.”

For her, the leadership already being shown by rangatahi was unmistakable.

“The rangatahi of today, they are already stepping up to be rangatira, to lead and show the way towards that kotahitanga for Aotearoa, and I think that’s incredibly powerful.

“Papamīharo is here to ensure mokopuna have space at Waitangi, and have the opportunity just to be themselves here at Waitangi.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand