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Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Jo May Presenation

This is a presentation about a waipu artist, Jo May. She is a very talented artist and this presentation will hopefully give you some information about her. Enjoy :-)

Term 4 Writing Sample 2014 - Friends

Introduction:
Good friends are always good to have all throughout your life, they can help you get through anything. If you have the right friends, they will be there to maybe just call when you are feeling alone or just for a talk, they might do things that they don’t want to do just so that you can have a good time.

What Friends can do for you:
If you are ever stuck with something, say your maths work and you just can’t think of the answer, your friend will be there for you to ask, “How did you solve this question?” Or if you have finished school late and its getting dark, your friends will walk with you home even if she is tired and hungry. If you have a great friend, they will be the first to come and see you in the sick bay, or the first to call if you have been off school.

Always having at least one best friend:
Even though, is good to have lots of friends incase one of your friends is away, its GREAT to have that one or two best friends who won’t get offended easily and get your jokes even if others think its not funny. They will get past your mistakes and remember all the good times instead of all the bad times.

Being a Good Friend Yourself:
You should also be a good friend to others because no one is going to want to be your friend if you aren’t kind or understanding. You have to use the golden rule, treat others the way you want to be treated. If you are a good friend to others, they will be a good friend to you too.

Conclusion:

All of the things that I have written in this explanation is what I find hope to find in my friends when I get to college. Friends like those, you don’t need to worry about losing when moving on because they will stay connected with you, no matter what it takes. Those are the sort of people that will be lifelong friends.

Monday, December 1, 2014

The Samoan Tatau - Mr Tele'a Visit

In Extension we have been researching and learning about Symbolism. There are lots of ways to represent something that is special to you. One of the things that is common is a tattoo. People can get tattoos to represent something that is meaningful to them or sometimes just to look good.

One of the many tattoos that we have researched is the Samoan Tatau, also known as the Pe'a. A Pe'a is only ever seen on a man, where a Malu is seen on a woman. It starts from the waist and goes down to the knees. Our Extension group were very privileged because Mr Tele'a came in to show us his Pe'a so we could see what it looks like in real life. He gave us loads of information about himself getting the Pe'a and about the importance of the Pe'a.

We asked him lots of questions and we got lots of answers. When he got his Tatau, he got it done with his three brothers. In Samoan culture, it is important to have someone close to you, get the Pe'a at the same time so you are not alone, this person is called a So'a. Mr Tele'a got his tattoo done by Tuifa'asisina Su'a, a well-respected man in Samoa for his history of amazing tattoo art.

Before Mr Tele'a could get his tatau, he had to ask for permission from his parents. Mr Tele'a and Mrs Tele'a were pleased that their son wanted to get a tatau but reminded him that if he stopped before it was finished, it would bring lots of shame to their family but Mr Tele'a firmly agreed that he would last till the end.

Before Tuifa'asisina started the Pe'a on Mr Tele'a, he found out which village Mr Tele'a was from in Samoa and researched a bit about his family history. Not every Pe'a is the same, they all have different patterns on them representing the person wearing the Tatau. Although there are different parts, every Pe'a has a Va'a. The Va'a is the top of the Pe'a and it goes from one armpit all the way, around the back to the other armpit on the ribcage. It represents your aiga (In Samoan language, your family) and it is under the arm to show that the person who is wearing the tatau, has to look after and protect his family.

Another part in the Tatau which Mr Tele'a said is the most meaningful part is the belly button. He  said it is the most meaningful part because that was the final part in the process. It was a feeling of relief and happiness because after all the pain, it was finally finished.






Term 4 Extension Symbolism Movie

Term 4 2014 is ending soon which means Extension will be too. This terms theme for the whole school was Art Attack. We have been learning about a different kind of art. The tattoo. If you have been reading my blog this term, you will notice that a lot of my Extension posts have been on Symbolism. We learnt all about Samoan Tattoos and what all their symbols mean. One of our many tasks was to create two tattoos of our own. This movie shows and explains the two tattoos that I created and what they are all about. I hope you enjoy my movie and find out something about me!


Ana - EXT - Tattoo Design from Team 5 PES on Vimeo.

After this term and making this movie, I have learnt more about Samoa and its history of art. I probably won't get a tattoo myself but for me, it is great to know more about my culture. I think that if anyone wants to get a tattoo, it should mean something that is close and precious to you because a tattoo is a great way to represent your family culture or yourself. I am so happy that I finished this movie because it is the one task that I enjoyed because it was something that represented me. I also enjoyed it because it is probably my last movie task for 2014.