Distribute the Mātauranga Systems Documentary Companion before pressing play. This RNZ episode follows knowledge keepers of Māhuhu o te Rangi and their puna mātauranga.
Support: Think-write-share slips for learners who prefer processing time.
Groups select a local issue (e.g., river health, mahinga kai, coastal erosion). Use the companion’s Indicator Planner to list traditional signs and Western data you would monitor.
Note who in the hapori holds knowledge for each indicator and how to engage them respectfully.
Draft a 3-step response integrating both knowledge systems. Identify the evidence you will collect, who you will report to, and how you will honour tikanga along the way.
Record a short summary (written or audio) to upload as Mātairea evidence.
U1L2-whanau.
Today we discovered that mātauranga Māori represents sophisticated science developed over centuries. Traditional knowledge systems aren't "old-fashioned" - they're innovative approaches that continue to contribute to solving contemporary challenges. The best solutions often emerge when different knowledge systems work together with mutual respect.
"Ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōna te ao" - The bird that partakes of knowledge owns the world.
Students will engage with this resource to deepen understanding of Te Ao Māori — exploring whakapapa, tikanga, and cultural identity as living systems that shape who we are in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Scaffold support: Provide sentence starters, visual glossaries, or graphic organisers to give entry-level access for students who need additional support. Offer extension tasks that deepen cultural inquiry — for example, exploring local hapū histories or interviewing a kaumātua.
ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach key kupu Māori (whakapapa, tikanga, mana, mauri) with bilingual glossaries where available. Allow students to respond in their home language as a bridge to English expression.
Inclusion: Use accessible formats — clear headings, adequate whitespace, chunked tasks. Neurodiverse learners benefit from structured choice in how they demonstrate understanding (oral, visual, written). Acknowledge that students may hold personal connections to the cultural content.
Mātauranga Māori lens: This unit centres Te Ao Māori as a living knowledge system. Whakapapa is not merely genealogy but a relational framework linking people, place, and time. Tikanga grounds behaviour in kaupapa Māori principles. Approach content with aroha and manaakitanga.
Prior knowledge: No specialist prior knowledge required for entry-level engagement. Best used after relevant lesson sequences, or as a standalone introduction to cultural identity.