After a long but worthwhile bus ride, the large group of Year 8s finally arrived at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. We strolled through the southern entrance to the large atrium which was filled with other visitors.
Our class was the first to go through a lesson from special educators on Maori Weaponry. We studied how to use the taiaha and the mere pounamu, going through a series of movements and memorizing the calls. Soon, the whare was full of chants of “Huit” and “Hei ha!”. We were taught the meaning of the whare itself as well as the weapons used, and it was a very informative session.
As soon as we left the Maori house we had a refreshing, and much needed, morning tea. Next we shot off to complete the questionnaire on volcanoes. Heavy rocks, a shaking simulation house and even a mummified person were all located in this incredibly interesting gallery. We spent a long time moving around information boards looking for answers and staring up at the lava dripping volcano sculpture standing in the middle of the room.
The rest of the museum was just as enjoyable. We observed bones, replicas of real animals, historical artefacts and a whole lot of interesting items, taking many memorable pictures on the way. I could have spent a lot more time there, but unfortunately, back on the bus we went.
Alanna Santoso
