Summer Learning Journey - Day #10 : Coming to an End

Hey bloggers! Today is Day #10 of the Summer Learning Journey and also my last blog post for 2017! It's been a really amazing journey blogging! Anyways, let's begin!

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Activity 1 : VE Day!

After six long years of fighting, World War II finally came to an end in 1945. The entire country was ecstatic and parties were thrown all over New Zealand to celebrate VE Day (Victory in Europe).

I have been asked to imagine that you were living in New Zealand in 1945 and you had to plan a VE day party at your house. Who would you invite? What would you do to celebrate?

If I had planned a VE party I would invite my family! My cousins, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunties, grandparents, great - grandparents, parents and more! We would have a BBQ, a huge swimming pool, sport games playing, music, cold beverages and food, and heaps more I would include!

Activity 2 : Making a Fashion Statement

In the years following World War II, things slowly returned to normal in New Zealand. Soldiers returned home and settled back into regular life; and national sporting teams, like the New Zealand cricket team, got back together and started playing matches again. In the late 1940s, men and women would go to watch these events, men wearing hats and suits and women wearing dresses, hats, and gloves.

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1940's Fashion!

I have been asked to compare clothes from the 1940's to 2017. Is there any differences?

The differences I see are the bright colours in the 2017 clothing fashion but there is lack in the 1940's fashion.

Also I can see that the difference with the shoes are very big. In the 1943 picture the shoes are very classic and basic but with the 2017 picture the shoes are very trendy.

I rather wear the 2017 style. It's really trendy and i'm used to wearing similar to the 2017 picture.

Bonus Activity : Sweet Tooth

Purini ( Steamed Pudding )

When World War II ended, a number of people from Europe moved to New Zealand looking for a peaceful place to live and raise a family. When they came, they brought recipes and foods from their native countries with them, including hamburgers, pizza and other delicious foods.

I have been asked to post my favourite sweet food/desert on my blog. Rachel's is a Chocolate Chip Cookie with Tea.

My favourite desert is Bread and Butter Pudding. Yum! My great - grand mother makes these delicious deserts sometimes when I go to her house. The name for it in my Fijian Culture is called '' Purini " - steamed pudding. We usually eat it alongside with Custard, Cassava Cake, Bread with Butter, Jam and also Tea.

Here is my great-grandmothers recipie I found in her cook book hiding in her kitchen :

You will need :

• 3 cups plain flour 
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cup sugar
• 1 tin coconut cream
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground clove
• 2 litre pudding tin

Instructions : 

1. Melt sugar in a small saucepan on medium heat. Do not burn sugar. 
2. Put in some coconut cream slowly to the melted sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Stir well slowly. 
3. Stirring constantly, bring the syrup to the boil then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
4. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and the whisk ingredients together.
5. Fold the sugar syrup into the dry ingredients and mix well.
6. Pour the batter into the buttered pudding tin and steam for 1½ hours in a large pot over the stovetop.
7. Test if fully cooked with a skewer inserted into the middle of pudding and return to stovetop if necessary.

Thank you for reading!

Thanks for reading!

By Mitchell.M

31/12/17

Last day of 2017! How will you celebrate it? We are going to watch some fireworks in Auckland City! ,

Mitchell

Travel Blog Post - Day #4 (Hawaii) Wedding Day!

Getting ready some pig!

Me at the wedding!

Hey bloggers! A few days ago it was my uncles wedding! It was very fun to attend! Let's talk about it! So I and my cousins, and uncles went to my uncles friends house who is also Fijian and we did/made a lovo. (a underground oven). We helped grate some komala (sweet potatoe) some cocnut and more. After that we cooked it and bought it to the wedding!

Uncle and Aunty!

The wedding was at the Botanical Gardens in Hawaii! It was really beautiful! It had nice rivers, waterfalls, japanese shrines and bells, animals and heaps more. At the wedding ceremony it was very short! They just came up : sang some songs, said some words the poof they were husband and wife!

The layout!

My uncle and his baby!

After the ceremony we went to the reception where everyone ate, drank, danced, sand, and did heaps of exciting things. Me and my cousins, and my friends all went down to the river when it got dark and were hunting for pigs. There were 3 black pigs and my little cousin got scared so we started chasing. It was really fun!

Anyways chasing pigs we went to go look for soe fish in the Koi Fish Pond. I saw lots of koi fish in the pond near the waterfall and it was amazing. After all those adventures we had we went back to the reception to drink kava and eat a little bit.

My cousins and other family members were dancing lots! It was really crazy! Anyways after all the partying and fun we went back into the truck and loaded it with the leftover food and started to head back home!

Thanks for reading!
By Mitchell.M
06/09/17

Travel Blog Post - Day #3 (Hawaii) Fun Day!

Hey bloggers! The past few days has been really fun! We've been going shopping, to the markets, swimming, go to a wedding, and heaps more.

Walmart!

Yesterday I went shopping with some family to Walmart (an american shopping store) that sells everything there including food. I went with my cousins and I was very excited! Last week me, my cousins, and my aunty went to Walmart and it was really fun!

Drinking Kava!

They have heaps of things to buy there and I even bought a small camera to take photos with! Anyways after going to the market we went swimming at our family friends pool at an hotel. It was very hot that day and we needed a swim!

Me and my cousins!

I dived into the pool and jumped in with my cousins. My cousins are also not very familiar with the weather because they live in Seattle so it was very hot for them as well. Anyways after the long hours of swimming we decided to go back home and get ready for the tevu tevu.

Now let me explain to you what a Tevu-Tevu is! A tevu-tevu is a traditonal ceremony in the fijian customs/culture! Every couple must do this before you get married in traditional fijian culture. We bring heaps of pillows, mats, blankets, mosquito nets and more. 

We went to the tevu-tevu at my uncles house and started with some kava (a plant in the pacific islands which you distribute into water and mix then drink). In Fijian we also call it grog or yagona. When you drink Kava say "Bula" then after you have drank clap 3 times!

We ate lots and also went to bed straight after! 

Thanks for reading!
By Mitchell.M
06/09/17

Mitchell's Speech - My culture is important

Good Morning! Here is my speech about why culture is important!

Reason 1: I think culture is important because it’s really important to remember your ancestry.

Culture! Have you ever wondered about your culture? I’m pretty sure you’ve been wondering about where you originate from right? Well you probably do know your Samoan,Tongan, Cook Island and Maori, but it’s time to think back. It’s pretty important to remember your heritage. Like what if you have royal blood, that’s something really important to cherish.

Did you ever wonder about where your great grandmother’s mother is from? They may be from Russia, Tahiti, or even Kenya! That’s meaning that you’re ancestors are from different places!

Reason 2: Another reason why culture is important is because your Family Tree and Ancestors may have different origins.

Did you know? - that your many of your ancestors have all came from different origins. For example let’s say your great,great,great,great,great grandmother from Tonga married your great, great, great, great, great grandfather from Germany! That may mean you have German traces in your DNA, if your grandparents have German DNA.

Reason 3: The last reason why you’re culture is important is because your language is important too.

If you’re fluent in your native language you have a very special talent! I think learning your native language is important because what if it dies out. Imagine one day the native language of your country has died out because people have forgotten or lost the traditional ways. It also represents your identity and culture and also your family!

Reason 4: My culture!

Finally let me tell you why my culture is important! My ethnicity conclude of Fijian and Tongan descent with some German. On my Fijian family I am a descendant of the Vuanirewa Dynasty that has ruled the Lauen Island since it first has been discovered so that is a big part of my culture! With my Tongan Family I am from the Islands of Ha’apai and from the Village of Pe’a on Tongatapu.

Thanks for reading!

By Mitchell.M

07/08/17

Mitchell's Statistical Literacy - Data Collection

Hello bloggers! Here is my Statistical Litreacy presentation. We have been answering questions around Pie graphs and Bar graphs and using the graphs to collect data. My question was based on which culture you are. My class answered and here are the results: 5% Maori, 5%Tongan, 11% Samoan, 1% Cook Islands, 2% Niuean, and 5% other which includes Fijian and NZ European. Even I was in this too.

Thanks for reading!
By Mitchell.M
11/05/17

Mitchell's role model writing - My great grandfather!

My role model I have chosen is my great-grandfather. His name is Pita. I have chosen him because he is inspiring and he is a hard working man. He is a loving and caring man and he is very dominant. So let me explain why my great grandfather is my role model!

Whenever we go over to his house he hands us fresh fruits and healthy yummy things to eat! He always wants us to be fit and healthy so we can have a g

Me and my great grandfather mowing the lawn.

ood life. Also me and my cousins play heaps of sports on his front yard.

He is also a cultural man and uplifts us to do and be strong in our own culture. He knows a lot about our traditions and culture and also knows what we have to do to be respectful and proud of our heritage and culture. We love the stories he and my great grandmother tell about our ancestors and their adventures and journeys. Some stories also lead up to some of the most popular places in Fiji.

Did you also know that he used to be a teacher? That’s right my great grandparents used to be well known teachers in Melanesia. They have taught in Papua New Guniea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and of course Fiji. They expect us to do good in school with literacy (English) and Mathematics too.

So there it is my role model Pita. My great grandfather who is really loving and kind. So who is your role model?

Thanks for reading

By Mitchell.M

13/04/17