A Wellington school was warned by a noise control officer over excessive noise during haka practises.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna is situated in one of the most affluent suburbs in Wellington and are shocked at the treatment they received by the noise control officer.
Jason Ake couldn't believe what he was hearing from the mouth of a noise control officer.
He says, “Your community is fed up with the noise. I asked him, how can this be? He replied it's because of how loud the singing is.”
It was 1pm on last Saturday and the wharekura students were practising for their regional competitions at the school.
Ake says the noise control officer warned them and made recommendations on what activities they could do instead.
“He suggested that we should sit and read books, converse with ourselves in the rooms. The last thing he suggested was to play PlayStation games instead. I then said hey, that's kind of racist.”
The Wellington Council said that he was not threatening or intimidating to the person he spoke to.
They are looking into this incident and have asked the contractor for a detailed report.
Ake says they've found support in some of the local residents.
“The principal of the other school has come over and encouraged us to challenge this. The other local schools are behind us, so we are very amazed at the response. We are a small school but also loved by the community.”
It's hoped that this situation never occurs again at the school.