Te Kura o Hirangi established a māra kai at their kura to complement the school’s Taiao (environmental studies) curriculum.

The Tūrangi-based kura kaupapa Māori now cultivate their own indoor and outdoor māra with help from the local community.

The whole school was involved. The students learnt to prepare seedlings, plants and beds, the different types of tools and how these should be used correctly. Other learnings included recycling, composting, soil enrichment and mulching, as well as the general growth and harvesting cycles.

Te Kura o Hirangi has future plans to extend their māra to include fruit trees, and composting equipment to ensure the on-going sustainability for the kura and the community.