My weekend

My Weeknd 

On Saturday I went to netball to watch my sis play 4 games and then my mum and koko aunty Eden went to the cafe to eat. I went home to watch netball on tv.  

On Sunday I watch a movie with my family.



The Tanners Apprentice

. Historical Story: The Tanner’s Apprentice 

In the late 1800s, young Tama lived near the Whanganui River, where the sound of saws and horses echoed through the town. His father worked as a labourer, but Tama wanted to learn a skill. When he was twelve, he was apprenticed to a tanner named Mr. Dunlop, a Scottish settler with a leathery face and strong hands. 

Each morning, Tama rose before dawn and walked to the tannery. The smell was sharp — a mix of wet hide and chemicals. At first, Tama’s job was to carry buckets and turn hides in the soaking vats. His hands blistered, and the work was hard, but he watched and learned. 

Mr. Dunlop wasn’t a cruel man, but he was strict. “Leather tells the truth,” he often said. “If you rush, it cracks. If you’re careless, it rots.” Tama listened carefully. 

Over the years, he learned to lime, tan, stretch, and dye leather. One day, a customer brought in a piece of deer hide. “Can you make a sheath for my son’s taiaha?” he asked. Mr. Dunlop looked at Tama. “Let the apprentice try.” 

Tama worked late into the night. He carved a kōwhaiwhai pattern into the sheath and lined it with soft fabric. When he presented it, the customer nodded slowly. “Your hands remember your ancestors,” he said. 

By the time Tama turned 18, he was no longer just an apprentice. He taught others — Māori and Pākehā — and began blending traditional Māori motifs into leatherwork. His small workshop became known throughout the region. 

And long after the tannery closed, people still spoke of the boy who learned from both worlds and shaped leather with care. 

 

The story took place in whanganui that was in the late 1800s.

 

Tamas first job was to carry the buckets and turn the holes in the soaking vats. 

 

The tannery was a hard job and would hurt his hands. 

 

Mr.Dunlop was very strict to Tama but he was not cruel to him. 


Leather production

  1. Informative Text: From Hide to Leather – The Story of Aotearoa’s Leather 

In the heart of the North Island, around places like Whanganui and Hamilton, leather production has been an important part of local industry for over a century. Leather is used to make shoes, bags, saddles, jackets, and many traditional Māori taonga (treasures) such as belts and kete (woven bags). But how is it made? 

The journey of leather begins with the hide — the skin of an animal, most commonly cows. In Aotearoa, hides are usually collected from meat processing plants, where animals have been ethically farmed and used for food. Instead of throwing away the hides, they are cleaned and prepared for leather making, a process that ensures sustainability and reduces waste. 

Once collected, the hides are salted or chilled to prevent rotting. Then they are sent to a tannery. Tanning is the process that turns raw hide into leather. First, the hides are soaked in large drums to soften them and remove hair and fat. This step, called liming, also helps clean the hide thoroughly. 

Next comes the tanning step itself. There are two main types: vegetable tanning, which uses natural plant materials, and chrome tanning, which uses minerals like chromium. Vegetable tanning takes longer but is better for the environment. Chrome tanning is faster and makes leather softer and more flexible. 

After tanning, the hides are dried and dyed. They might be coloured brown, black, or even bright colours depending on what they’ll be used for. The leather is then stretched, rolled, and cut into shapes for making different products. Some pieces are stitched or glued into bags, shoes, jackets, or craftwork. 

In Whanganui, some local artisans and whānau still use traditional handcraft methods, blending modern science with old knowledge. Many workshops work with Māori artists, who use leather in kapa haka uniforms and cultural items. 

As people become more interested in ethical fashion and sustainable practices, New Zealand’s leather industry is adapting. Some tanneries are using eco-friendly methods to reduce water and chemical use. Others are creating workshops and school programs to teach young people the craft and care behind leatherwork. 

Leather isn’t just a material — it’s part of a wider story of farming, fashion, and Māori and settler history in Aotearoa.

  1. Where and when does this story take place?

The story takes place in the late 1800’s and in Wanganui.

 

  1. What job does Tama begin at the tampering?
    Tama first jab was to corry the buckets and turn the hales in the sacking vorts. 

 

  1. What was the temrny hike for young  workery? 

 He was cruel, but still strict.

 

  1. mr. dunlop was  a cruel but he was also strict.
  2.  Tama .earned about working with leather.
  3. He learned to lime tan stretch and dyes leather. One day a person brought in a piece of deer hide.

 



In Rotorua

In the holidays I went to Rotorua with the whole Kohanga. We went swimming. I liked going under the water. I liked that the pool was warm to swim in for me. 

I stayed at a hotel with mum, I did a lot of relaxing.but for the tv, it kept turning off randomly. The hotel had a huge bath.

 We then went out for dinner. For dinner I had chicken nuggets on most nights. For most mornings I had toast with eggs and mushrooms for breakfast. 

The next day we went to the zoo, I was allowed to pet the baby lion. I watched the big lions get fed by the zoo keepers. We then walked around the zoo to see the other animals like birds. The birds were really smelly because they haven’t had a bath for two weeks. The weather was overcast and there was a little bit of warm and rainy weather.



My Hoilday

Mum drove to Taupo on Friday straight after school.

The weather was cold, windy  and wet. We had to go home and pack the car. 

We went to drop zone entertainment. 

We bounced on the trampoline. There were so many. 

I was being careful while bouncing on the tramp.

I fell over from being bounced on the tramp. 
There was a huge large sponge pit next to the trampolines. The sponges were yellow and red.