This year Miss Gunn led poroporoaki with a pounamu ritual: each leaving student, called by name, leaves their wairua with us through the symbolic action of touching the pounamu. This pounamu – a heart-shaped taonga – was gifted to the Principal by a former member of staff. Blessed with the water from the Waikato awa, it is worn by the Principal when the Korowai is worn at our powhiri and prizegiving. For the last few years, it has been a ritual for staff at the beginning of the year and leaving students at the end of Year 13. This taonga carries the wairua of staff and students who have been a part of Sacred Heart – those living and deceased because we believe that once a part of Sacred Heart, always a part of Sacred Heart! The ancient ritual of touching items of spiritual or religious significance is common across many cultures.