The new primary school to open in Wanaka next year will be known as Te Kura O Take Kārara. The name was announced today by the school’s Establishment Board of Trustees.
The Board’s Chair, Dr Ian Hall, said that the name had been chosen after extensive discussions with Ngāi Tahu and following consideration of alternative names. “The new school will serve a wide region of the Upper Clutha basin, and we are delighted that Ngāi Tahu has gifted a name that has such important and historic links to the region”, said Dr Hall.
Take Kārara is an historic name for a location that is very close to the site of the new school in the Three Parks development adjacent to the Wanaka Recreation Centre. The recent Ngāi Tahu Atlas, Kā Huru Manu, describes Take Kārara as a kāinga nohoanga, or settlement, at the southern end of Lake Wanaka. During the 1879 Smith-Nairn Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Ngāi Tahu land claims, Take Kārara was described as a kāinga mahinga kai, or food gathering site, where pora, mahetau, tuna (or eels) and weka were gathered.
The site is clearly shown on the famous map drawn by H.K. Taiaroa in 1880 which detailed many of the names for the region that are in use today. “We feel priviliged to use this treasured name for our new school,” Dr Hall said. “We look forward to working closely further with Ngāi Tahu as the school develops.”
Construction work has started recently on the new school’s site, with building consent having been granted by the Queenstown Lakes District Council. The board is currently awaiting the final decision of the Ministry of Education on the enrolment zone for the school. Entitlement to school transport will then be confirmed in coming weeks.
The school’s board has decided that the new school will adopt a suitable uniform and further community consultation will be undertaken on the proposed uniform and on other issues throughout the year.
Newly appointed senior staff have started work this week alongside the school’s Foundation Principal, Jodie Howard. Advertising has begun for teaching staff who will be appointed from Term 4 of this year.
“The announcement of the school’s name is a significant milestone in the development of our school, and we are happy with the progress made to date,” Dr Hall said.
