How Aotearoa came to be

Aotearoa

Watch the video below that tells the story of how Maūi fished up the North Island and how his voyage to visit his mother Papatūānuku resulted in the creation of the South Island. 

 

Year 7 & 8 Task

Digitally design the North & South Island based on how the Myth and Legend depicts them to look. Consider how your digital art helps to tell the story of Maui and how New Zealand came to be. 

Year 4, 5 & 6 Task

Students are to create a comic book that retells the story of the Myth and Legend. 

Junior School

Watch the video above, discuss the story. Students can draw a picture about the story and write a sentence about what they learnt. For new entrance students, teacher can dictate their sentence. 

Extra activity - there is a colouring in picture of Māui for students to colour in.

 

Te Ika a Māui (Juniors/Middle)

Read the story Te Ika a Māui or watch the video below. Talk about the story so students have a good understanding of the Māori myth and legend. Who are the main characters? What happens in the story?

 Māori Version

English Version

Below is a picture of a waka known as the South Island and an ika (fish) known as the North Island. Get students to draw their own fish and their own waka to symbolise the North and South Island. Label their pictures using the vocabulary below.

Vocabulary

Tail - hiku  (he-coo)

Head - Upoko

Fish - ika (ee-car)

Ocean - moana (more-un-ah)

Wing - parirau (puddy-rau)

Stomach - puku (pook-ew)

Water - wai (why)

North Island - Te Ika a Māui 

South Island - Te Waka o Aoraki 

Juniors school: Juniors can colour in the attached picture. Students can draw a picture of an ika on Maui's hook. Link to picture

Extra Challenge: For an extra challenge get students to label their picture in full sentences. E.g. Te upoko o te ika (the head of the fish), te hiku o te ika (the tail of the fish).

Mihi

 Mihi is a traditional Māori greeting. They are used as formal welcome speeches, expression of thanks or just to identify who you are and where you have come from. Your mihi can be long or short. 

The hardest part about your mihi is standing up and saying it with confidence and saying it with confidence is so important. Your mihi is all about you and your family so speak of yourself and your family with pride and confidence.This comes with lots of practice saying it. Say it in the mirror every morning, say it in the shower, say it to your friends.  

Watch the video and read the examples below for extra help.