On Wednesday 12 June, two of our Year 12 Chinese classes went on a field trip to the Auckland Museum. We are grateful to Mrs Xu and Mrs Lee for organising this experience.
The class was divided into seven groups to explore connections between Chinese and Māori cultures. Each group received a scavenger hunt to find special cultural items, helping us compare the distinctions between the two cultures. We discovered a large gallery dedicated to Māori culture. We learned that in Māori culture, carving is known as whakairo, a traditional art form with deep historical and cultural significance. Similarly, we found that Chinese carvings also often display intricate designs rich in symbolism, representing various aspects of life. The carvings in Māori and Chinese culture are not just beautiful works of art, they are also important for connecting with important spiritual beliefs and keeping cultural traditions alive.
This trip had a lot of meaning that resides with us, as a lot of us haven’t been in New Zealand all our lives and are still learning its history. This experience allowed us to explore further and gain knowledge of the heritage that makes up the Aotearoa we know today.
Esmond Lee, Tirbwan Sigh & Summer Liew – Year 12 Chinese Students
