Celebrating Culture, Community and Connection at Forest View Kindergarten
At Northland Kindergarten Association, we know that some of the most meaningful learning happens through connection – connection to people, place, culture and community.
Recently, Forest View Kindergarten was honoured to welcome Te Kapa Haka o Tukua o Punga from Tikipunga High School. As tuakana from the very same whenua the kindergarten stands on, their visit was a powerful celebration of identity, culture and the intergenerational connections that make our NKA communities so special.
Read more about their visit below from Bridget Crossley, Pouako Kaiako at Forest View Kindergarten.
From the moment the first waiata and haka filled the kindergarten, our tamariki were captivated.
The tuakana stood as powerful cultural role models, showing our youngest learners what it looks like to carry identity, pride, and tikanga with confidence and humility. This is tuakana teina in action, older students guiding, uplifting, and inspiring the next generation, while our teina watched with wide eyes and open hearts.
Experiences like these spark something special.
You could see it in the way tamariki moved, listened, and responded, recognising themselves in the tuakana and imagining what they too might become. Te Kapa Haka o Tukua o Punga showed our tamariki that culture is lived and celebrated; that leadership can be joyful; and that standing strong in who you are is something to be proud of.
These moments help shape confident, connected learners who understand their place within their community and the important role they play in its future.
Forest View Kindergarten is incredibly grateful for the relationship we share with Tikipunga High School.
Sharing the same whenua means sharing stories, history, aspirations and a commitment to the generations of tamariki growing within our community. Visits like these strengthen those connections, remind us that learning doesn’t stop at the kindergarten gate, and reinforce that when we walk together as a collective, our tamariki thrive.
At Northland Kindergarten Association, these are the moments that remind us why community matters so much. Together, we're helping every child grow with confidence, pride and a strong sense of belonging.
