Theme Week - Matariki

Today, in Rm15, our main focus was on Matariki.  Here is a snapshot into today's morning work cycle.

Tuakana teaching teina how to create their own visual mihi.

Visual art and geography combined to arouse interest about NZ Maori place names for these students.  They got talking about Stewart Island and if that was a Maori name and that perhaps they could come up with a good Maori name for it.

Students looked at their own mihi and pepeha (an introductory 'speech' - based on whakapapa - recited during mihimihi).

Ko ____________ te māunga
Ko ____________ te awa/roto/moana
Ko ____________ te waka *
Ko ____________ tōku tīpuna *
Ko ____________ tōku iwi
Ko ____________ tōku hapū
Ko ____________ tōku marae *
Nō ____________ ahau
Ko ____________ rāua ko __________ ōku mātua *
Ko ____________ tōku ingoa

The mountain that I affiliate to is _________________________
The river/lake/sea that I affiliate to is ____________________
The waka that I affiliate to is ____________________________ *
My (founding) ancestor is _______________ *
My tribe is _____________________________
My sub-tribe is _________________________
My marae is ___________________________ *
I am from _____________________________
My parents are __________ and ___________ *
My name is ____________________________

Great discussion, planning and organisation going into Matariki.

Teina teaching tuakana how to build a visual mihi.

Mattie worked on a visual art / 3D creation to represent his interpretation of Matariki.  When the students shared their 'work in progress' this afternoon a teina student commented to Mattie how "inspiring' his work was.

21st Century skills in play here with collaboration and co-operation occurring naturally. 

Students practicing ti raku alongside others creating their visual mihi.