August 01, 2023
Fair stirs mātauranga-science mix
A Rotorua mātauranga Māori science fair has uncovered some innovative concepts from rangatahi Māori.
Te Arawa Lakes Trust’s Te Tūkohu Ngāwhā Science and Design Fair drew 80 entries, doubling last year’s count.
The top prize went to Rotorua Primary Year 7 pupils Mereana Tawhai, Deborah Peake, and Tyson Cunninghan for Ihenga, an aquabot that can be used to gather water samples, pest weeds, and rubbish.
Trust spokesperson William Anaru says many entries stunned the judges.
“The kids these days – well, I mean kids all the time are amazing but, you just see the whakaaro and thought that goes into some of this stuff, and it just blows your mind,” he says.
Mr Anaru says the fair shows how mātauranga Māori can have a place in the modern world.