šŸ“– Unit Overview

Unit 1: Te Ao Māori - Cultural Identity & Knowledge Systems

A comprehensive 6-8 week journey exploring Māori worldviews, values, and knowledge systems as the foundation for all learning. This unit establishes cultural identity and understanding of Te Ao Māori as a valid and essential knowledge system.

Year Levels: Years 7-10 (differentiated)
Duration: 6-8 weeks (20-25 hours)
Learning Areas: Social Studies, Te Reo Māori, The Arts

šŸ“‹ NZC Curriculum Alignment

This unit addresses achievement objectives across multiple learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum.

šŸŒ Social Studies / Tikanga-ā-Iwi

SS 4-1 Identity, Culture & Organisation

Understand how the ways in which leadership of groups is acquired and exercised have consequences for communities and societies.

Unit Connection: Explores tikanga, rangatiratanga, and traditional Māori leadership structures.
SS 4-2 Culture & Heritage

Understand how cultural practices vary but reflect similar purposes.

Unit Connection: Throughout unit - whakapapa, tikanga, traditional arts, and contemporary expressions.

šŸŒæ Te Reo Māori

TRM 4-1 Communication

Communicate information, experiences, and ideas for a range of purposes in familiar contexts.

Unit Connection: Greetings, pepeha (introductions), whakataukī, and cultural protocols throughout unit.
TRM 4-2 Cultural Knowledge

Demonstrate understanding of the significance of te reo Māori to Māori culture and identity.

Unit Connection: Lessons 2-3 explore language as cultural foundation and identity marker.

šŸŽØ The Arts / Ngā Toi

TA 4-1 Understanding the Arts in Context

Explore and describe the influences of people, places, and times on the making and use of art works.

Unit Connection: Weeks 3-4 focus on haka, waiata, carving, weaving, and contemporary Māori arts.

šŸ’” Key Competencies / Ngā PÅ«kenga Matua

šŸ¤” Thinking

Students reflect on their own identity and cultural positioning, developing awareness of diverse worldviews and knowledge systems.

šŸ¤ Relating to Others

Whakapapa and whānau connections emphasize relationships, collective identity, and responsibility to others.

šŸŒ± Participating & Contributing

Community engagement with kaumātua, participation in cultural practices, and contributing to collective learning.

šŸ—£ļø Using Language, Symbols & Texts

Te Reo Māori language acquisition, understanding of cultural symbols, and interpretation of traditional and contemporary texts.

Unit Content & Weekly Structure

He Taonga - Our Cultural Foundation

Te Ao Māori is not just a subject we study - it is the lens through which we understand ourselves, our relationships, and our place in the world. This unit establishes the cultural foundation that will enrich all learning across every subject at Mangakōtukutuku College.

"He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata."

What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, people, people.

Unit Overview & Learning Vision

Duration & Structure

  • Time: 6-8 weeks (adaptable to school terms)
  • Year Levels: 7-10 (differentiated activities)
  • Frequency: 4-5 lessons per week
  • Integration: Connects to all subject areas

Learning Vision

  • Develop strong cultural identity and pride
  • Understand mātauranga Māori as valid knowledge system
  • Connect traditional wisdom to contemporary life
  • Build foundation for lifelong cultural learning

šŸ“‹ Kaiako Planning Snapshot

Ngā Whāinga Akoranga ā€” Learning Intentions

  • Articulate their own whakapapa connections and explain why place and ancestry matter to identity
  • Describe Mātauranga Māori as a valid and sophisticated knowledge system
  • Analyse Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a living document with contemporary relevance
  • Apply te ao Māori values to contemporary challenges in their own community

Paearu Angitu ā€” Success Criteria

  • I can explain at least two core concepts from Te Ao Māori (e.g., whanaungatanga, kaitiakitanga)
  • I can describe how Mātauranga Māori contributes to knowledge that Western frameworks can miss
  • I can use evidence from Te Tiriti to support a position on partnership or historical agency

Entry / On-level / Extension

  • Entry: Focus on Weeks 1ā€“2 (whakapapa and personal identity). Use scaffold cards for key concepts. Accept oral or visual responses for the identity portfolio.
  • On-level: Complete the full 8-week sequence. Produce a multimedia identity portfolio and a community action proposal.
  • Extension: Research one contemporary issue (e.g., climate, health equity, urban Māori identity) through both Mātauranga Māori and Western scientific frameworks. Present a synthesis.

Inclusion Guidance

  • ESOL / ELL learners: Provide bilingual concept cards (English/Te Reo Māori). The whakapapa framework is cross-cultural ā€” allow students to connect to their own ancestral identity systems. Pair with bilingual buddies for oral tasks.
  • Neurodiverse learners / ADHD: Post the driving question for each week visually. Use the identity portfolio as a running anchor. UDL: accept audio recordings, visual timelines, or concept maps alongside written evidence.

Weeks 1-2: Whakapapa & Personal Identity

"Ko wai au? Ko wai koe?" - Who am I? Who are you?

Learning Focus

Students explore the concept of whakapapa (genealogical connections) as the foundation of identity in Te Ao Māori. They investigate their own connections - to whānau, to place, to knowledge traditions - and understand how these relationships shape who we are.

Key Concepts

  • Whakapapa: Genealogical connections and relationships
  • Whakatōhea: Collective identity and belonging
  • Mauri: Life force and spiritual essence
  • Whakatōhea: Collective responsibility

Learning Activities

  • Personal whakapapa exploration project
  • Te Reo Māori greetings and introductions
  • Traditional Māori names and their meanings
  • Community connections mapping

Authentic Assessment

Personal Identity Portfolio: Students create a multimedia presentation about their whakapapa connections, including family/whānau interviews, place-based research, and reflection on how these connections influence their learning and goals.

Weeks 3-4: Cultural Expression & Traditions

"Toku reo, toku ohooho, toku reo, toku mapihi mauri" - My language is my awakening, my language is the window to my soul

Learning Focus

Students engage with traditional and contemporary forms of Māori cultural expression, understanding how arts, language, and performance carry deep meaning and connect us to our ancestors and each other.

Traditional Arts Focus

  • Haka: Powerful expression and cultural resistance
  • Waiata: Song traditions and storytelling
  • Carving & Weaving: Traditional craft knowledge
  • Ta Moko: Traditional and contemporary significance

Learning Experiences

  • Haka analysis and performance (using existing handout)
  • Contemporary Māori artists research project
  • Traditional craft workshops with community
  • Waiata creation and performance

Cross-Curricular Connections

Arts: Visual design principles in traditional patterns and contemporary Māori art
Music: Traditional rhythm, harmony, and modern adaptations of waiata
Physics: Sound waves and acoustics in haka and traditional instruments

Weeks 5-6: Te Tiriti & Historical Experiences

"He whakatōhea tātou katoa" - We are all in this together

Learning Focus

Students explore Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a living document and examine both historical and contemporary Māori experiences, understanding how the past shapes present opportunities and challenges.

Historical Understanding

  • Te Tiriti Partnership: Original intent and ongoing significance
  • Māori Agency: Leadership and resistance through time
  • Urban Migration: 20th century experiences like Dawn Raids
  • Cultural Survival: How traditions were maintained

Contemporary Connections

  • Current Treaty settlement processes
  • Contemporary Māori leadership in politics, business, arts
  • Modern expressions of tino rangatiratanga
  • Youth activism and cultural pride movements

Resources Integration

This section utilizes and enhances existing handouts: Treaty analysis and Dawn Raids impact, while creating new contemporary leadership profiles and community connection projects.

Weeks 7-8: Mātauranga Māori in Action

"Mā te huruhuru ka rere ai te manu" - Adorn the bird with feathers so it can fly

Learning Focus

Students explore how traditional Māori knowledge (mātauranga Māori) applies to contemporary challenges and opportunities, understanding its relevance in science, technology, environmental management, and community development.

Traditional Knowledge Applications

  • Kaitiakitanga: Environmental guardianship and sustainability
  • Rongoā: Traditional medicine and holistic health
  • Astronomy: Traditional navigation and star knowledge
  • Agriculture: Traditional growing and land management

Contemporary Integration

  • Māori entrepreneurs and business innovation
  • Environmental science and climate change responses
  • Technology development with cultural protocols
  • Community development and social innovation

Capstone Project

Community Action Initiative: Student groups identify a real issue in their community and develop a solution that integrates mātauranga Māori with contemporary approaches. Projects are presented to community members, whānau, and local leaders.

Aromatawai - Assessment & Evaluation

Authentic Assessment Approaches

  • Portfolio Development: Personal learning journey documentation
  • Community Presentations: Sharing learning with whānau and local groups
  • Peer Teaching: Students teaching younger learners
  • Cultural Protocols: Demonstrating appropriate cultural practices
  • Action Projects: Real-world application of learning

Success Indicators

  • Cultural Pride: Increased confidence in Māori identity
  • Knowledge Integration: Connecting mātauranga across subjects
  • Community Connection: Engaging with local cultural networks
  • Critical Thinking: Analyzing contemporary issues through cultural lens
  • Leadership: Taking initiative in cultural learning spaces

Whakamutunga - Unit Reflection

This unit establishes Te Ao Māori as the foundation for all learning at Mangakōtukutuku College. Students complete this journey with a strong sense of cultural identity, deep appreciation for mātauranga Māori, and clear understanding of how traditional knowledge enriches contemporary learning and life.

"Mā te huruhuru ka rere ai te manu" - With cultural knowledge as our feathers, our students can soar.