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Young People Express Their Fears For Our Papatūānuku/Mother Earth
An inaugural competition for youth to express their care and concerns for Our Papatūānuku/Mother Earth can announce the winning entries from across the motu. The judges and organisers were very impressed with the calibre of the entries and knowledge of covid and climate impact.
Dr Mike Joy who was involved in judging the illustration category says, “I’m blown away by them (entries) but it's bittersweet. I'm deeply saddened that at that age they know this stuff and how much Covid has dominated their lives. They are amazing, it was very hard to narrow down as the quality is so high!"
Schools across the motu had added challenges of the pandemic and resurgence of omicron. “We heard from schools in Christchurch that on top of teachers and students off with Covid, they had added flu, D&V and in one East Christchurch school meningitis. Some schools let us know that they had to pull out but were very keen to be involved next time” says Michelle Whitaker, Flourish Kia Puāwai, who organised the competition.
“Even with the additional challenges we got a good number of schools and home-schoolers engaged for our inaugural year. We were especially inundated with illustrations, got a great number of poems and received enough graphic art, mixed media and letters to judge well”, says Michelle.
Our Papatūānuku competition was launched on Mother’s Day this year, with the competition inviting school students to submit a letter to or poem about Papatūānuku or a piece of art using graphic design, illustration or mixed media”.
Michelle Whitaker, Co-Director of Flourish Kia Puāwai created the competition for 5 to 18 year-old to share their voice from Aotearoa to the world for a book that will be presented to COP 27 November 2022, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
Winning Entries:
| Mixed Media | Indigo Kluiters | YR 2-3 | Wainui Beach School, Gisborne |
| Georgina Matapakia | YR 6-8 | Ferguson Intermediate, Otara, Auckland | |
| Nina | YR 9-10 | Green School, Taranaki | |
| Maia Bouras | YR 11-13 | St Catherine’s College, Wellington | |
| Illustration | Zoë Kluiters | YR 4-5 | Wainui Beach School, Gisborne |
| Angelica Zhang | YR 9-10 | Kingsway School, Auckland | |
| Karla de Wet | YR 11-13 | Kingsway School, Auckland | |
| Graphic Art | Minaa Wong | YR 6-8 | Remuera Intermediate, Auckland |
| Evie Sellen | YR 9-10 | Green School, Taranaki | |
| Poetry | Bill Kelly | YR 4-5 | Home School, Brooklyn, Wellington |
| Wanisha Besharati | YR 6-8 | Remuera Intermediate, Auckland | |
| Oliver Marsh | YR 9-10 | New Plymouth Boy’s High School, New Plymouth | |
| Letter | Tristan Jayasuriya | YR 6-8 | Remuera Intermediate, Auckland |
Year 6 to 8 years Illustration was a biggest entry group and will be announced with second and third places at www.flourish.org.nz on the 1st Aug.
All winning entries will be published on Flourish Kia Puāwai’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FlourishKiaPuawai
Information on the competition can be found at https://www.flourish.org.nz/our-other-mother.html
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