School Camps

Welcome to the School Camps section of this site.

(NOTE: Most of the links on this page will take you directly to the school camps website.)

Well......we promised you the best,... most absolutely unique, ......culturally-aware School camps experience in the whole of New Zealand..... didnt we...?

Well here it is: .......School Camps at Kopinga Marae.

Education Resources School Camps

School camps at Kopinga Marae

A school camp at Kopinga Marae is a cultural experience that cannot be had anywhere else in the world.

The above group of students from Lindisfarne School in the Hawkes Bay had an absolute blast during their week long stay at Kopinga Marae. They got involved in a local conservation programme, planting native trees. Some students went hunting, others fishing, and with all of the seafood and wild pork, the accompanying parents certainly went home satisfied.

Bring your next school camp to Kopinga Marae and teach your kids about this often overlooked part of New Zealand's history. Learn the truth about the Moriori and what happened to them. Hear their side of the story. Study their wonderful art forms, distinct from Maori. Come and listen to the stories, the myths, the legends, the waiata and the karakii. Come to Rekohu and enlighten yourself and your students.

Kopinga Moriori Marae is adorned with carvings and symbols of the history and culture of this remarkable people. Both are unique to Rekohu (the Chatham Islands). Hear about Nunuku's Law, the Moriori covenant of peace. This law which decreed an end to fighting, hundreds of years ago, is a model which your students can study and make a values call about for themselves. School camps at Kopinga Marae offer an array of options for you and your students. (See below for details.) Kopinga Marae has been designed to easily accommodate over 60 people at any one time, with a commercial kitchen and wheelchair access to most areas including toilets, showers, whare-hui and whare-kai. The toilet block has a range of bathroom and shower options and laundry facilities are also available onsite. 

To assist you with planning for your school camp, we can provide you with a range of RAMS and EOTC forms for you to complete. In any situation where a school camp requires the use of an independent operator, such as for fishing trips or scenic flights, the operator's OSH or MSA safety plans are provided.

School Camp Activities and Options

Activities for students on and Education Resources School Camps at Kopinga Marae

Swimming:Most of the beaches are safe for swimming as few typically have rip tides or extreme currents apart from the usual tidal pull. At certain times of the year, there are however a number of White Pointer Sharks that inhabit these waters that are occasionally seen in closer than normal. There have been a number of reported Shark attacks around Rekohu over the years, but predominantly on professional divers rather than on casual swimmers. Te Whanga Lagoon offers perfectly safe swimming all year round and public access is available at numerous spots.

Hunting: Pig hunting trips can be arranged at most times of the year and although there may be a charge for this, it is minimal and dependent on the hunting guide.

Fishing: On Rekohu, there are so many places where you can cast a line in the water and catch fish that we cannot possibly list them all here. In January 2008, at the local fishing competition held in Waitangi, on the wharf, there were 13 species of fish landed, and all were caught off the wharf. Blue cod is prolific in these waters, as are small shark, groper, kawhai (at times) and numerous other species. Shellfish can be gathered from most beaches and even in Te Whanga.

Conservation: With over 20% of New Zealands endangered or threatened species existing only here on Rekohu, there are always many conservation activities underway, and the participation of school groups is always welcome. Possible activities include involvement in bird transfers, or monitoring or revegetation programmes, including planting of native trees.

Hiking: There are an increasing number of walks and tramps to do on Rekohu, from Department of Conservation Walkways through Scenic Reserves, to Beach walks and coastal strolls.

Farming: Rekohu Experience and School Camps at Kopinga can offer you the opportunity to visit a working farm where you may see sheep being shorn (dependent on season) or cattle being 'marked', either way, you will get to have a good look around a real farm and interact with the livestock, perhaps even participate in some of these activities.

Factories: Rekohu Experience and School Camps at Kopinga Marae can arrange a guided tour through an operational Fish Processing Facility, where students can see how the fish are landed, weighed, handled, processed, packaged and frozen. Live lobster facilities can also be studied.

Landforms: Rekohu has a diverse range of landforms, from volcanic peaks and cones to peat covered "clear" and mystical limestone outcrops. Any geology student will be in awe of some of the topography and soil structures present. Basalt columns and towering cliffs also feature at numerous sites.

Arts, Language and Culture: This is the only place where you can learn about the culture of the indigenous people of Rekohu: the Moriori. Come and stay at Kopinga Marae, the only Moriori Marae in the world and see the culture in action. Listen to the stories of migration, the myths and legends and the waiata and karakii. See and touch the carvings of the marae and learn about what they all mean.

History: Learn all about the history of the Moriori and the trials of repression that they suffered from 1835 onwards. Learn about their covenant of peace, the guiding belief that forbade them from acts of aggression, even when under attack themselves. Study the renaissance of Moriori culture and see how Moriori are making their mark in the world today.

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Education Resources school camps at Kopinga Marae

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