Defining the Mahi
Activism isn't just marching in the street. It is any action taken to bring about social or political change. In Aotearoa, activism has a deep history connected to Tino Rangatiratanga (Māori self-determination) and holding power to account.
🧠 Do Now: Word Association
When you hear the word "Activist", what image comes to mind?
Someone brave fighting for rights (e.g., Kate Sheppard).
Someone disrupting traffic or breaking rules.
Whakapapa of Resistance
Activism in New Zealand didn't start with the internet. It started with survival and sovereignty.
Te Whiti-o-Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi lead a campaign of passive resistance against land confiscation. No weapons, just ploughing land and sit-ins.
Kate Sheppard and fellow campaigners collect 32,000 signatures (the largest petition ever at the time) to win women the right to vote.
Dame Whina Cooper, at age 79, walks from Te Hāpua to Wellington under the slogan "Not One Acre More".
Types of Activism
Actions come in many forms. Match the action to the method.
| Type | Example | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Action | Occupying land, blocking a road | Disrupt normal life to force attention |
| Lobbying | Writing to MPs, presenting petitions | Change the law through official channels |
| Consumer Action | Boycotting a brand | Hit them in the wallet (money = power) |
| Digital Activism | Viral hashtags, online petitions | Raise awareness quickly & globally |
🌱 Reflection
Which method do you think is most effective today for getting a teenager's attention versus a politician's attention?
📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot
Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions
Students examine how digital technologies and social media are used as tools of activism — exploring power, participation, and the hīkoi tradition of Māori resistance to understand how communities organise for change in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria
- ✅ Can analyse how digital tools amplify or suppress activist voices, applying a tino rangatiratanga lens
- ✅ Identifies algorithmic bias and explains its impact on Māori, Pasifika, and marginalised communities
- ✅ Designs or evaluates a digital campaign using tikanga principles of manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Use familiar social media examples as an entry point; provide a structured campaign analysis template. Extension tasks include researching Te Mana Raraunga, analysing algorithmic amplification data, or designing a full digital activism strategy.
ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach vocabulary (activism, algorithm, participation, sovereignty) with visual examples; use real NZ case studies to ground abstract concepts in accessible contexts.
Inclusion: Offer multiple formats for campaign design (visual, written, oral pitch); neurodiverse learners benefit from clear step-by-step planning frameworks and structured peer feedback protocols.
Mātauranga Māori lens: Hīkoi as the embodied tradition of collective action — digital activism as its contemporary form. Tikanga in digital spaces: protocols for respectful online engagement. Tino rangatiratanga frames the right to self-determined participation. Kaitiakitanga extends to protecting whānau and community data online.
Prior knowledge: Basic social media literacy; awareness of New Zealand social and political issues.
Curriculum alignment
- Digital Technologies — Level 4: Understand how digital technologies are used to create and share information, and the social implications of their use.
- Social Sciences — Level 4: Understand how people participate individually and collectively in response to community challenges.