Words by Mary Acton Adams
Jane and I walked into the ‘bush’ at Ongaha Farm knowing that soon we would be bringing Mrs Hooper’s year 3 & 4 class from Kahutara School there for a nature drawing session. Ongaha bush is right beside the Ruamahanga river just a few bends further down from the farm, towards Lake Wairarapa.
The way-in posed a small challenge as it was quite far and through uneven ground and fallen tī kōuka branches were hidden in the long grasses. So, we decided to make a path for everyone. Next day we came with two large weed eaters with metal blades along with a little lawn mower which Jane insisted is great at paths, if you pull it. She was right. What seemed to be a bit of a crazy idea turned into a neat little meandering path towards the bush ending in the grove of Matai, Kowhai, Titoki and Totara.
The Day of Drawing in the Bush.
Mrs Hooper’s class comes on Joe’s bus and the children are accompanied by the teachers and a parent. When the bus lets them out, we stand in silence and sing a waiata then everyone runs flat out along the farm track, school bags banging around on backs. The rush came together on a pile of tree planting mats, placed high up on the riverbank, where we all listened to a river story told by Rod. The Ruamahanga flowed gently by, quite full but not a torrent.
Next, across the field, through the gate and onto the path into the bush. Single file following Rod we snaked past the recently planted harakeke, over a few bumps and undulations nicely revealed by the neat, narrow, small path.
Under the big old kowhai we went and entered into a magic realm of tall forest trees. So, we played hide and seek: ‘Eeeye Akee 1,2,3… I see you” rang out the voice of the person by the tree. Those used to the bush ran freely and hid behind the towering trees; whilst others were a little more cautious.
Coming together again we did a slow movement activity where the class became a forest. Our feet reaching deeply into the ground, we uncurled our trunks then unfurled our branches. As we reached up and up I asked, ‘who are we?’ I expected the answer to be trees. However from all around came the names; kowhai, kahikatea then a titoki followed by lots of totara and more kowhai, even a pine tree had flown in and grown tall.
The drawing and bark rubbing followed. Concentration settled over the small groups as they dove in, unexpectedly revealing artists of all stripes. There were images of forests full of wind-blown trees all with a lean, complete with fungi bract. The matai bark produced hammered rubbings and the totara long straggly lines.
The writing part started with a shared brainstorm of words drawn from the forest. Sentences were then written into the artwork; letters became the leaves of branches and other made a frame for the picture.
Time to go so everything is quickly gathered up and within minutes the bush again silent and still whilst the class disappeared, out under the kowhai tree towards the harakeke and the bus.