July 16, 2020
Astronomy school loses first star
Aotearoa's first Māori astronomy school has come crashing back to earth.
Te Whare Tātai Arorangi o Tangotango rāua ko Wainui opened last Saturday at Iramoko marae in Matatā.
It's the vision of controversial Ngāti Awa hapū leader Pouroto Ngaropo and educationalist Piripi Lambert.
But today Mr Lambert withdrew his support.
Mr Ngaropo says he has independently gone to pursue other areas of astronomy.
He says there are other experts and facilitators on the faculty, including Teina Boaza Dean, Bradford Haami, Maara Maaeva, and Tamihana Ngaropo.
The wānanga will teach the role of tohunga kokorangi, the traditional astronomers who interpreted messages from the stars for their people.
It will also teach history, navigation, food cultivation and hauora to anyone willing to learn.
"It's an important time for us taking back things that are ours as Māori, as tangata whenua, taking things to another place where by Māori for Māori, by hapū, for hapū, by iwi for iwi, which inevitably will have an impact on all of us, all New Zealanders, all people," Mr Ngaropo says.
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