Kaitaia Primary Mural: “To Learn Is To Know”.
This mural holds a special place in my heart, as Kaitaia Primary is where it all began for me! I have such fond memories as a kid, playing hand ball, gutter board, and even though I wasn’t really built for it, bullrush too! I always felt loved and safe at school, and I think this is testament to the power of community, and the manaakitanga of my teachers.
Whakawhetai ki a koe mo te whai i ahau - thank you for having me Kaitaia Primary, what a truely humbling experience to come 360 and leave my mark after walking through your gate for the first time 41 years ago.
“To Learn Is To Know” is a celebration of Kaitaia Primary School’s values—love, kindness, learning, and the strength of community. At its heart, a great native Ruru symbolises wisdom and the pursuit of knowledge, guiding tamariki on their journey of learning. Surrounding the owl, local birds - a Pīwakawaka, Kererū and Tūī take flight, embodying the spirit of growth and the courage to aim high and look toward the future.
Native botanicals of Pōhutukawa and Tōtora root the piece in local landscape, while stylised forms in the background represent local Maunga - connecting the community, teachers and tamariki alike, to the whenua and the heritage of the surrounding landscape.
Set against the school’s signature teal, the warm hues of this artwork create a welcoming, vibrant space that reflects the manaakitanga that Kaitaia Primary portrays —a school that welcomes, nurtures, supports, and inspires.
Extra notes for Hayley:
SCHOOL VALUES:
Manaakitanga
Aroha
Ngawari
Awhina
Whakawhanaungatanga
Akona