Lesson 5.1: Indigenous Governance Models - Designing Decolonized Systems
Year 8 Social Studies: How Systems Shape Our Lives
Lesson Activities
1. Indigenous Governance Principles (20 mins)
Explore key principles from Māori and other indigenous governance: whakapapa (relationships), kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whakatōhea (collective decision-making), and mana whenua (connection to place). Students map how these differ from Western individualistic approaches.
2. Case Study: Successful Indigenous Systems (25 mins)
Examine real examples: Tūhoe's self-governance model, co-governance of waterways, indigenous land management systems. Students identify what makes these successful and culturally appropriate.
3. Design Your Decolonized System (30 mins)
Groups choose a school/community issue and design a solution using indigenous governance principles. Must include: connection to whenua, intergenerational thinking, collective wellbeing, and cultural responsiveness. Use template that centers relationships over rules.