Taniwha by Garath and Michael

              Taniwha

Once upon a time there was a tiny taniwha called Makare.  One day he went to his Matua Tupuna’s house and he was given a hook. Matua Tupuna told Makare to go fishing at a special place where lots and lots of fish live.         

When Makare went fishing he met a new friend called Tama. Tama and Makare went fishing together. Makare

thought that Tama was a nice friend to him except, Tama tried to take the hook off Makare.

Makare and Tama were fighting over the hook really badly. Suddenly, Makare lost the hook while they were fighting and it sunk down to the sea. Makare felt really bad because he knew that Matua Tupuna would get mad at him.

Then Makare went looking for the hook in the sea but he couldn't find it. So then he went back to Matua Tupuna’s house. Matua Tupuna said “Have you realised what you have done? That hook wasn't a normal hook it was a magical hook. That hook can give people lots and lots of powers.”

So then Makare went looking everywere. Then Makare went looking around the place where he lost the magical hook. Makare was really happy because he found the magical hook sunk under the sea. Then Makare told Matua Tupuna that he found it and then they lived happy ever after.

Shark Rock by Dalton

Shark Rock

As I was swimming in the water along the bay I heard a strange noise coming from shark rock.  It was named that because it had  three rocks which looked like real shark fins. Suddenly there was a huge crack of lightning that struck the rock, even though it was a fine day.

Then the rock began to shake and transform into the grey colour of the amazing great white shark. It wiggled and broke loose of the other two rocks that were left. They too were the colour of a great white shark. 

“Ahhhh! Shark in the water” called Dominic. Everyone then looked at the water and saw the great dorsal fin of the beast. People were out of control, they swooped their children out of the water and like a stampede of elephants ran out of the water. The lone shark was no more because the other two sharks had broke free of the rocks during the stampede of people. The sharks circled the bay, waiting there.

People were scared out of their minds. The fear was unbelievable. No one was brave enough to do anything. Then someone emerged from the crowd. He was the local country boy named Anthony. He called to everyone and suggested that they transport the sharks to the local marine reserve. The crowd whispered among themselves the said, “yeah that's great.” And they all yelled.

So Anthony called for cranes and asked the marine reserve for a huge tank to transport the beasts. The cranes did their job and lifted the sharks into the tank. They were put on a truck and off they went. Everyone waved good bye and had happy, smiley faces. And they ran straight back into the water because it was so hot. The water refreshed everyone as they splashed with joy.

The Taniwha by Taine, Nikita and Jarry

The Taniwha

One day Maui and his brothers went fishing. Him and his brothers went out to the middle of the sea and set out their hooks. Maui used his special hook which he made out of his grandmother's jawbone. He hoisted the hook out to the sea with his biggest throw. They waited for ages and ages, finally a tug.

The brothers heaved and pulled and they had got a big, huge taniwha. Then Maui and his brothers went back to their house, but the taniwha started to swim away. Maui and his brothers didn’t notice that the taniwha was swimming away. When they saw it they all hopped in the water and chased the taniwha. They swam and they swam and they swam. It was a long chase but finally they caught him.

They got home and Maui was starving. He was going to cook the taniwha right away when his grandmother came and said, “stop!!! Taniwha have been loyal to our tribe and we should set the taniwha free.” So even though Maui was starving he let the taniwha go free in the ocean. So Maui went out fishing again but this time by himself. Maui didn’t have that much power in the waka because it was just him. So it might be hard to catch a big fish now. When Maui set the hook into the water he caught another big fish. It was bigger than the taniwha that he just caught. So Maui pulled and pulled but the fish was too strong.

Then Maui almost fell into the water. Maui used all his strength to pull the fish up. Maui pulled and pulled and pulled. He finally got the big fish up. No one else could pull the fish up and he started to swim back to his village and told everyone what happened. They were so angry that they banished him from the village forever. Maui was walking along the river when suddenly a taniwha approached him. But this time he had all of his taniwha family with him and they all looked angry. The taniwha took him away and from that day on Maui was never heard of again.

By Taine, Jarry and Nikita

Tane Mahuta's Forest by Seth and MacKenzie

Long ago there was a kauri forest that covered a secret. A secret that was in the very middle of the forest was a very big green-stone cave that was surrounded by the forest and the forest was surrounded by a lake. In that cave slept the great Tane Mahuta the god of the forest. When he sleeps he chants a karakia which helps the forest to grow and thrive. Tane Mahuta has been asleep for over a million years, all is well for now...

Many people used to fish from the sea, until a man from a iwi close by the sea came to fish in the lake that was near the forest. When he cast his line, he caught a fish immediately. He quickly pulled his line out and saw a massive trout on his line. Then, he quickly rowed ashore and grabbed the fish and ran all the way back to the iwi. The other men in the iwi were astonished by the size of the fish, it was massive.

Soon all the villagers in the iwi moved next to the lake to build their village. They weren’t just fishing but also rowed to the island taking wood that they did not need and using it to build things like extra waka, weapons, walls and oars. Soon they were also hunting on the island and killing all the animals and making cloaks and polluting the water.

The great Tane Mahuta had woken up and noticed that half of his forest had been destroyed by the men. They had demolished so much of the forest. He was devastated by the destruction! He stomped through the forest angrily! When he stomped he made a earthquake, but it did nothing to harm the trees.

So Tane Mahuta commanded a volcano to destroy the village and its occupants, soon the whole village was alight! There was fire everywhere, and the sparks landed all over the lake! Later after the village was just smoking, rua boys came out of the smoke, Years later the boys became the guardians of the forest and lake. Meanwhile, Tane Mahuta slept while chanting a karakia to help the forest grow. After that day nobody interfered with the forest or the lake, but the rua boys still guarded. All was well for now...

Matariki by Kimberly

Matariki

Once upon a time there was seven brothers, they were the most brave and handsome men in the village. All the brothers cared about was their appearance, except one brother, his name was Matai. The brothers wanted to get married but they could not find anyone as beautiful as them.

One day they went hunting and found seven fairy sisters. They were beautiful with fair faces and golden hair, the brothers fell in love at first sight. Matai told them they were fairies but they ignored him. Matai was unsure if this was ok.

The brothers wanted to take the girls home and marry them. The girls only ate fish. They made the brothers get food for them and the brothers forgot about getting food for themselves. They were starving from hunger, just what the fairies wanted. They became skin and bone and were not handsome anymore. The brothers fell deeper and deeper in love and did not realise what was going to hit them next.

Over the days that followed Matai thought and thought, finally he realized “the only way I can convince my brothers to not marry them is to give them proof.” Matai quietly sneaked through the forest and saw the beautiful fairy girls. He listened and listened, then he heard them all talk about the marriage. The fairies said, “we shall starve the brothers and no one can stop us…”

After Matai heard that he ran back home to tell his brothers. When he reached them he told them,  “brothers those girls are the fairies. They are evil. They want to starve you to death.” The brothers did not believe him.  Matai said, “look at yourselves, you are skinny and are not handsome anymore. Look at yourselves. Now do you believe me?” The brothers looked at each other. They realized that they were skinny and that Matai was telling the truth .They yelled, “what are we going to do?”

Then they thought of someone who could help them. It was their uncle. They ran to their uncle. By that time they were puffed and were out of breath. When they caught their breath and drank some water they told their uncle about the fairy girls. He gave them a magic net and said, “use this to capture those birds.” And that was what they did, they used the net to catch the fairies.

They placed the net carefully and waited for the fairy girls. When they came past the girls got stuck in the net. The brother’s uncle turned into a big beautiful albatross, with its beak it snatched the net and flew the girls up in the sky where they became stars. That is the story of MATARIKI.

Matariki by Dominic

Makariki

once many years ago, there was a man called Metai. He had special powers because he spent a lot of time with his uncle. He had six older brothers. They were very handsome and they would not settle for any woman because they only wanted the best they could find.

One day they went hunting and they heard the most beautiful women singing. Metai tried to tell them that they were not what they thought they were but they didn’t listen! They immediately fell in love with these woman and they took them back to the village to get married. Every day the men got their wives food. They would starve themselves by only thinking about getting their wives seafood because that was the only thing they would eat.

One day Metai saw what these women had done to his brothers. He saw that they had lost their handsome look and they had turned into twigs. On the way home he saw that the seven sisters had turned into birds. He quickly turned into a bird and followed them. He heard their plan to make his brothers die from starvation. He quickly told his brothers what he had heard.

The brothers made a plan to capture their wives and send them far enough away that they would be no harm to the brothers.They went to their uncle to get help for their plan to capture the sisters. Their uncle gave them a magical net. On the way back to their homes the seven sisters were caught by the brothers who gave them to the god of the stars. He found them very pretty but sent them far, far away. Since they were so beautiful he lets them shine every year!

A letter from Neko-chan by Jamaica

4 May 2015

Dear Jamaica,

Why did you throw me away? I’m writing this letter because you don’t want to play with me anymore, why don’t you play with me anymore? Is it because you have new gadgets? Am I not fun to play with?

Remember the fun things we did together? We used to have fun together and play with your cousins and friends. But now you spend more time with your new gadgets. You even gave me a beautiful house, you even treated me like a real cat. I didn’t mind being your dog’s toy. I’m your best friend right? I’m still your Neko-chan - you named me that.

You also don’t know that my legs are nearly broken because of you not playing with me anymore. I’m so sad and lonely all I do is stare at the dark under your bed. I’m still cute, fluffy, and still fun to play with. I miss you already. Please play with me I’m so sad and lonely. Did you forget about me now? It’s been five years since you played with me, my mouth is still smiling because I’m a toy but I’m sad inside.

I’m here in the very edge of your bed, spiders crawling around me and dust covering me. Help me! I’m all dirty now, please come and help me. I’ll be waiting for you to come and get me.

From your toy cat,

Neko-chan

Matariki by Reuben

Matariki

In an ancient Kauri forest, as old as time, there lived three brothers. One was in early manhood, one was nearly there, and the other was barely a child. One gloomy day, the eager brothers set off hunting for moa. Just as a moa came into their sight they noticed seven flourishing fantails in front of the moa. The seven birds swished past the moa, causing the leaves to flutter and obscuring the brother’s view of the moa.

Every day the fantails would divert the hunters from completing the hunt of killing the moa.

The moa and the fantails became great friends and were always playing around and fooling the hunters. Back at the village the oldest of the brothers, Tane Mahuta, was getting frustrated and decided to come up with plan. With determination and eagerness he started to construct the equipment needed to carry out the plan.

Back in the tree tops of the kauri tree a mother fantail with feathers like silk was warning her children, “Children, do not go out tonight for the hunters will be back with woven nets of magic and wisdom of the gods, they will be waiting for you.” Six of the children answered straight away apart from the oldest, his name was Matariki, with a beak as long and sharp as a spear tip and feathers the colour of a dying pohutukawa, he answered swiftly after while, staring at something to the left of him like he wasn’t paying attention.

Later when the misty day became a mysterious night the Tane Mahuta set out to hunt the seven graceful fantails. When he found the moa in its pile of leaves Matariki was first to see Tane Mahuta getting ready to spear a moa, but what Tane was really doing was trying to get the fantail down there so he could trap them in the magic woven net that he created. Matariki was luckily very persuasive and got all of his brothers to join him to save the moa but as they swooped down they realized that Tane Mahuta had taken all the leaves away so they couldn’t hide the moa. So the fantail had to get leaves from the tree which Tane knew take some time. Then as soon as the leaves started to fall and the birds couldn’t see Tane he casted the net on the seven foolish birds. Tane then grabbed the net and casted them into the sky and they became one with the stars. He named them Matariki. All seven stars are there today.

By Reuben

A letter from Izzy the iPod by Vanessa

434 Electricity Street

Mt Cracked 4444

7 May 2015

Dear Vanessa 

HEY I’M NOT VERY HAPPY. LISTEN HERE MATE! You have dropped me from the gate! Broken the corner of my screen! Also forgotten me!! I am just writing to tell you that you have stopped using me. I'm very lonely, sad, as well as very very angry.

You can see under my screen and I'm very hurt and disgusted. I’m also very angry, I don't like my battery to be dead for a long time and I am covered in dust.

You used to play on me all the time but now you don’t. You left me to sit in the fruit bowl all cracked and broken with all the fruit flies zipping around me. I’m also covered in dust and it is very annoying.

Why can't you get me fixed? Then we can get a new high score on Jelly Jump, post something on Instagram and look after your virtual family. Come and play on me again and fix my screen…

Have you ever been able to see your flesh and had four cracked bones all the way down your body? Well it really hurts. 

Remember all the fun times we had before? We used to travel to places together and take the best pictures. Come and play with me and we can be best friends again. I am begging you please, please come back and charge me up and fix my screen.

        

From your broken friend, Izzy the ipod.

A letter from Jeff the teddy by Michael

23 Telford Ave

Mt Fluffy
Terryville 111

4 May 2015

Dear Michael

Why did you make me lonely? I’m writing this

letter to you because you hardly ever spend time with me. It seems like you treat me like a random stuffed toy.

What happened to you? We used to talk for hours.

Why didn't you take me to your friends birthday party? That was so sad because you left me alone. Do you remember the time when we used to watch movies?

I thought you said I was so fluffy and so handsome two years ago. Look at me now, I still don't have any fur missing. Do you remember all the fun times we had together, like when we went to the park and swung up high together?

Do you remember the time when you took me to play rugby? When I got tackled you came to rescue me. Even though I got tackled heaps of time I still had lots of fun.

I’m so mad and lonely because you left me under the bed with all the junk. Can you please get me out of here? You haven't even washed me.


From, Jeff the Teddy

A letter from Red Pandey by Isabella

100 Popular Party Rd

Mt Zooey

Zooville   5637

4th  May 2015

To my old friend Isabella

HEY Isabella, listen we need to talk about why you are not finding me and playing with me! I haven’t been played with in a long time, about 5 months and I’m squished! Please, I need a cuddle because it’s dark and scary! Also this place looks like the side of your bed.

Please tell the others I miss them so much. It is like being at war here. Can you please find me and play with me? Isabella you took me everywhere but now you don’t. I have no friends here just fluff and light switches.

Do you remember how we used to play together all the time at the park, in the house, and the zoo! I get it how you were embarrassed around your friends but I’m one of your best friends.

At the zoo I could see were I came from.  At the park we would do everything, the swings, slide, trampoline, spinning disc. All these things were so much fun.

On the tramp we would do back flips, back handsprings, forced flips and front handsprings. On the slide and swings you would push me to make me go faster. Finally the spinning was so fun, although I always fell off.

Some of the other toys have these issues as well as me. I miss you, don’t you miss me? Isabella can’t you play anymore?

From your favorite toy, Red Pandey

ANZAC Letter by Ella

Dear Mum, Dad, Jess and Lucy.

Being a nurse at war is hard. We are fed well but the food is pretty boring. We eat tea, biscuits and bully beef.

During the day it is really hot but at night it is so cold. Could you please send some warm clothes and socks because we sleep in tents.

There are always injured men coming in who are very hurt. A lot of people have died and all you can hear is guns. Our clothes are covered in blood and they are not very nice.

I wish that I was at home with you and all of the farm animals. I can’t wait until the war is over and I can come back home. I miss you guys and the animals so much.

Love from your daughter and sister, Ella.

ANZAC Letter by Matthew

ANZAC COVE

Gallipoli

Turkey

28 April 1915

Dear Mum and Dad,

We just arrived in Turkey and the turks started shooting at us when we got off the boat. Some soldiers that got off from the back of the boat died because the water was really deep.

I feel like I regret going to war because it’s really scary. I really don’t want to die. I feel that one day I would get shot and no one will remember me. Living conditions here are really horrible, people dig holes and use the hole as a toilet. It really smells here because no-one here has had a bath for ages. People are getting nits and they’re spreading. I really don’t like it here in Gallipoli.

I really miss you and the food at home because we eat bully beef and really hard biscuits. We also just have tea as a drink. I miss all of my friends that didn't come to war.

Could you please send me some ice cream, some better food, toilet paper, chocolate and some socks. Thank you very much for your kind donation Mum and Dad.

All the best and love Matthew

ANZAC Poem by Amy

                 War

1914, the war has begun,

bombs go off,

they have sacrificed their lives to survive,

soldiers are frightened to death,

1915, 16 and 17 the war goes on.

1918, no more fighting,

there is silence,

there is peace,

and its all calm,

and they stand with pride.

They sacrificed their lives,

they died for us,                                                           

they fought for us,

thanks to them we have peace.

So we thank them.

ANZAC Poem by Samantha

War

They shall grow not old.

In war we see dead people, guns and people running.

In war we hear boom, crash, ka-boom.

In war we feel sad and scared.

We will remember them.

Sacrifice

From sacrifice we get sadness, sorrow and grief.

From sacrifice we hear crying.

From sacrifice we smell smoke.

They feel like saying why do I have to do this?

From sacrifice we get grief, sadness and sorrow.

Peace

From peace we get joy and happiness.

In peace we hear people smiling and laughing.

In peace we smell food.

They feel happy, good.

From peace we get happiness and joy.

ANZAC Poem by Taine

War

The smell of smoke

guns firing rapidly

means the grieving

of more families

every second.

People crying

out with pain

lives lost

but pride

still stands tall.

The pain remains

now and forever

but they shall know

we will remember them

now and forever.

ANZAC Poem by Ethan

War:

Hear boom

See guns

Feel scared

Smell smoke.

Sacrifice:

Hear shouting

See bodies

Feel sad

Smell blood.

Peace:

Hear silence

See shaking hands

Feel calm

Smell candles.

The first time I... by Sarah

The first time I went on the Fear Fall

                                                        

It all started when we were at Rainbow’s End with my friends Maddie and Phoebe. They are both older than me. They are cousins, not my cousins though.

I was sooo excited and scared at the same time. The first ride we went on was the pirate ship it was one of my favourite rides. The next ride we went on was Gold Rush. It was so much fun, but also creepy because it was very dark.

Then we went on… The Invader, it was sooooooooooooo fun!

The last ride we went on was Fear Fall. I was way to scared go on it because it was so high, so I decided not to. Then I had a feeling in my head that I had to go on it because it looked fun. Eventually I went and lined up for the ride. After the ride I said, “Can we go on that again? Cause that was so fun!”  

The first time I went to a funpack by Greer

The first time I went to a funpark

A crazy, awesome and sunny day in Australia. Today was the day my family and I was going to Movie World! I was so excited I could do 1 million cartwheels.

As we got to Movie World I was so happy! We got our wristbands on and began the fun. The first thing we did was put all of our stuff in the lockers then went to the arcade for 10 minutes and I won a Cookie Monster head.

Later on, we went on the Scooby Doo ride and boy was I scared! When I actually went on it, I guess it was pretty fun especially wibbling and wobbling in the elevator then falling back.

Soon after that we thought we would go to the Log Flume, we were rocking side to side, getting wet and also getting our pictures taken while we were go down the really big slope.

Next we went on the Roller Coaster, we were speeding through the air as fast as a cheetah it was so fun I went on it again. The bad thing is I forgot what the Roller Coaster was called.

Movie World was fun. My favourite ride was the Scooby Doo ride I was really sad I had to leave and hopefully my family and I can do this again.

The first time I watched Doctor Who by Claudia

The first time I watched Doctor Who

A year or two ago, I had a breakthrough. I discovered something amazing. Well, my dad showed it to me, but hey. I watched my first episode of Doctor Who.

We were going to the DVD store. Little did I know, this trip was going to leave me as happy as a weeping angel in a paradox. My dad suggested that we rented the first couple of episodes of new Doctor Who. Dad, my brother and I watched the first episode later that night. We were hooked.

A year later my brother, Dad and I visited the Doctor Who museum and experience in Cardiff. The Doctor Who experience is where they take the audience through an episode of Doctor Who, where we are characters. After the experience was the Doctor Who museum. It had costumes, props, sonic screwdrivers, and more. The best part was they were all original! I bet I’ll be a collector when I grow up. I felt like Alice in Wonderland.

I’m a total whovian. I own lots of Doctor Who merchandise and I have visited the Doctor Who museum in Cardiff. I love Doctor Who.

The first time I went to school by Josie

The first time I…

The first time I went to school I was scared.I  felt like I was on a 10 storey building. Then I saw Lucca! Lucca was also new that year because her birthday is in July as well. I felt like God came to help me! After a few days I met Mia, Natalie, Vanessa and others. When I felt sad my sister would get one of my friends to take care of me.

After two weeks of school I broke my arm. It all started when I was on the monkey bars in the playground, I was with my sister and Lucca. We were swinging on the monkey bars then I fell down and my arm landed on the ground on the elbow bit. At first I thought that I was fine but then I burst into tears. I was in hospital for nearly a week. My favourite thing about the hospital was the food because you get jelly, toast, juice, sometimes they give you an ice block.

I got a blue cast but then it got wet in the bath, so I had to get a new one and this time I chose purple. Then when I was a year 3 I broke my arm again, in the exact same way by falling off the monkey bars. I told my mum I had a sore arm but she told me that I was fine. Now I have a scar around my right arm and I have two dots, one on each side because I had to have wires put in from my first broken arm. While I was in hospital my friends prayed for me, it made me happier. And now those friends are my BEST friends!

The first time I made a friend by Carson

The first time I made a friend

When I was about two I started kindergarten.When I got there I was squeezing my mum’s hand so hard she said I was hurting her.  The sky was as grey as stone and it looked like it was going to rain. I was all alone. Then I found a friend and I said. “hi are you alone? Because I am also alone.” But then the teachers called us into the class and we started the day.

At lunch the boy came to me and said, “do you want to play with me?”. Then I asked him, “what’s your name?” He said, “Cameron.” That day I made my best friend!

When I got home my mum and dad asked, “how was your day?” I said, “awesome! I made a new friend and his name is Cameron.”

He was two also. We’ve been best friends ever since.

First time I ate a mussel by Natalie

First time I ate a mussel

The first time ate a mussel it did not go very well. I was at my bach going for a walk around the sharp rocks that were covered in oysters. At the end of the walk Mum and Dad saw my great aunt Janet at her bach.

We started to walk over and then we heard my dog Ted barking from upstairs of our bach. We said that we would come back after we had had a little rest and read. We would come down for a drink and dinner/barbecue.

We went up and Ted was very happy to see us so we gave him some dinner and had a little rest as we said we would. After about an hour we decided to go down to the beach. My great aunt and uncle were ready with the barbecue but guess what they had gone mussel hunting earlier that day and then when the tide was out they had gone pipi hunting.

I thought the mussel looked quite nice at first but boy was I wrong. The mussel turned out to be absolutely gross, it tasted like somebody had poured a whole container of salt onto the mussel. It was so slimy but it was chewy as well. When I first chewed my tummy felt like it had gone on a rollercoaster ten times after eating a ten layered ice cream. In fact the next day I threw up five times just because I ate that absolutely disgusting mussel.

That is the story of the first time ate a disgusting mussel. It was also the story of why I am never going to eat a mussel until I am around 22. Thank you for reading and I hope you learnt something about mussels (that they are disgusting).