Our Name, Logo and Building Names

It sets the scene for a creative and multicultural community, and highlights the environmental significance of the Ararira/LII river.

This will become the symbol for the school “as the river feeds into Te Waihora | Lake Ellesmere to nourish it, so shall the students feed into the community”

The chosen name ‘Ararira Springs Primary – Te Puna o Ararira’ also reflects the values outlined in the community consultation report and accompanying cultural narrative.

Our Logo Reflects Our Name

Designed as a symbolic representation of a drop of water, the logo has a number of meanings and layers.

• Blue signifies water and the orange the kahikatea berry
• The three parts of the logo also represent the child, school and community working together
• The idea that every child is a drop that contributes to a greater whole
• Every drop can make a difference and be a ripple of influence
• The iconic Māori fish hook (hei matāu) encompasses the school’s connection to tikanga Māori and represents strength and prosperity.

Our Buildings Continue with our Water Theme

Our heartfelt thanks to Te Taumutu Rūnanga and Mātauraka Mahaanui for their work on the names for our buildings and spaces.

Pūtake (Rationale)

The development of the following ideas by the school leadership team and MWEF’s were based on the school name (Te Puna o Ararira) and the cultural narrative. The names that evolved are:

1. Small Learning Block Building – Hikuwai (source of a river)
2. Large Learning Block Building – Arawai (channel of water)
3. Learning Spaces within Arawai:
   1. Huarapa (spreading out, as water over a surface),
   2. Kaunuku (moving steadily; either of water or through water),
   3. Teretere (flowing, to flow)
4. Courtyard – Kōpiha (pool of water)
5. Hall – Ararira (LII river)
6. Admin Block – Tāhuna (riverbank)
7. Library – Pūtahi (confluence of rivers)

The idea here is that of two rivers originating at the Hikuwai and Ararira buildings, shaping the landscape (i.e. kura community) in different ways and then coming together. The Ararira hall is where the whole school would come together for whakatau and formal occasions, and the Kōpiha courtyard is a place where students would congregate informally, to play. Then at the library, this first river comes together with the second river described below.

From the Hikuwai building, the water flows into a channel in the long Arawai building, with the three classrooms named for the different movements of the water, spreading out from the spring (Huarapa), moving steadily (Kaunuku) and flowing freely (Teretere). This movement through the learning spaces culminates in the Pūtahi library, where the learning stream meets the community-building stream, protected and shaped by the Tāhuna just as riverbanks define the course of a river while also being moulded by the water.

Whakatauki

‘He manga wai koia kia kore e whitikia’

This whakatauki is about perseverance and could be interpreted or loosely translated as ‘It is a big river indeed that cannot be crossed’. Some whakaaro (thoughts) behind the meaning of this whakatauki are but not limited to;

• Essentially, you cannot cross a river by looking at the waters and wishing it will happen. You have to jump into the waka, and paddle for your life! Be prepared, be strong of heart, and draw on all the strength of those around you
• Attempt to cross deep waters. Be ready, be dedicated to the objective, be open to learning from others
• Empowered to learn, unlearn and relearn, overcome difficulties to achieve lofty goals, work together to forge new pathways ahead
• An abundance of hope, bringing others up with you.

Phase Two of School Build

We are excited to be in the planning stages of phase two of our build. Check out the plans here and bookmark this page for updates.