In 2019, Aotearoa New Zealand acknowledged 250 years since the first onshore meetings between Māori and non-Māori.
Tuia 250 recognised the extraordinary voyaging traditions and cultures of Te Moana Nui a Kiwa (the Pacific ocean), the exceptional feats of Pacific voyagers, their mātauranga (knowledge), innovation and non-instrument navigation prowess and their decision to settle in Aotearoa many generations ago.
Tuia 250 also acknowledged the feats of European explorers, the technology they developed and their first encounters with the people of this place when James Cook, Tupaia and others on the Endeavour arrived and sailed around Aotearoa in 1769.
Waka hourua are ocean-going canoes that have sails. They are not paddled.
These waka were built without nails. Instead, waka hourua were lashed together using rope.
To sail waka hourua, traditional navigation (sometimes called wayfinding) was used.
Wayfinding involved a deep knowledge of the stars, moon, wave patterns, cloud formation and even birds.
When Captain Cook first arrived in New Zealand, he reported seeing double-hulled waka. These were mostly sighted in the South Island.
Sir Peter Blake’s record-breaking catamaran (Steinlager 1) was based on Polynesian designs.
Modern-day storytelling, merging technology with tradition.
According to many tribal narratives, Kupe was the first Pacific explorer to discover the islands of New Zealand. Stories about his exploration on his canoe, the Matawhaorua or Matahorua, differ from region to region but often feature a fight with a great wheke (octopus).
Click on this picture to find out more about KUPE
Tupaia was born on Ra’iātea and at the age of 12 received a tātau and began his formal training to be a navigator. He was living in Tahiti when the Endeavor arrived. Tupaia agreed to join Captain Cook on board his ship and help him find other islands.
Tupaia described how he used the ocean, the wind, the birds and the stars to guide him around the mighty Pacific.
13-20 July 2020
What does a quality blog post need?
Title - Matariki
We are learning all about Matariki.
Labels - Topic, Matariki
Explain your learning to your readers. What did I find interesting? Why did I think it was interesting? Was there anything that surprised me in my learning? What did I enjoy doing the most?
Learning Reflection - What did I do well? What was tricky? What could I do better next time?
DLO (Digital Learning Object)
Correct spelling and punctuation
This week Yvette is going to teach us how to weave harakeke whetu (flax stars) on Thursday.
You can watch this video before Thursday so you know what to do or click on the link to look at the instructions on how to make a flax star!
We will learn about the tikanga (protocols) for harvesting harakeke (flax) and about how it can be used.
You can make your own manu tukutuku using natural resources from your backyard. You could use sticks, toetoe, harakeke, feathers or leaves. Be creative!
Kites have been around for thousands of years, appearing in most ancient cultures, and kite flying has been a popular pastime for Maori, young and old. The name given to Maori kites is manu tukutuku.
Manu means both bird and kite, tukutuku refers to winding out the line. Kites were flown to celebrate the start of the Māori New Year, when Matariki (the Pleiades) appeared in the mid-winter night sky.
We are making mixed media stars (whetū) as part of our Matariki learning.
We are going to look at kowhaiwhai patterns as part of our geometry learning.
We find out about symbolism in different shapes and designs, and we will practice drawing them in our books.
13-20 July 2020
We are learning all about Matariki.
In the Māori language, Matariki is both the name of the Pleiades star cluster and also of the season of its first rising in late May or early June.
What is Matariki?
Matariki is the Māori name for a group of stars. The science name is the Pleiades and instead of ‘group’ they call it a star cluster.
It signalled the start of the Māori New Year for some tribes. Maori people followed a lunar calendar. That means that the months were organised around the moon. Marama is the name for moon. That is why the calendar is called Maramataka.
When is Matariki?
Matariki appears just before dawn in late May or early June. Different tribes celebrated Matariki at different times. Some celebrated when it was first seen. Some celebrated at the first new moon or full moon after the Matariki was seen. We now celebrate Matariki as the new Maori year, when the first full moon is seen.
Matariki is a happy event – crops had been harvested and seafood and birds had been collected. With plenty of food in the storehouses, Matariki was a time for singing, dancing and feasting.
Use Scratch, Google Slides, Drawing, Docs or your topic book to CREATE at least TWO of the following ...
Re-tell a story of Matariki
Make a copy of the google slide presentation and save it in your Topic folder.
Think of things that you did in your bubble. What image could you use to show this? i.e. If you built lego, find a picture of lego.
Use pictures from EXPLORE to share visual snapshots of your bubble.
You can also start gathering photos from your bubble to add to your presentation. Save these in your personal folder.
Our google slides will help us to create a video about our time in our bubbles using Screencastify.
What does a quality blog post need?
Title - Bubble Memories
We are sharing memories from our lockdown bubble.
Write 2-3 sentences explaining your learning to your readers.
Labels - Topic, Covid-19
DLO (Digital Learning Object) - Embed your google slide - custom 650 x 390
Learning Reflection - What did I do well? What was tricky? What could I do better next time?
Correct spelling and punctuation
Seaweek is a week when New Zealand focuses on learning about the sea.
The theme for 2020 is Connecting With Our Seas.
Ko au te moana, ko te moana ko au – I am the sea, the sea is me.
Seaweek is an opportunity to raise awareness about human impact and what we can do to look after and protect our seas.
As an island nation, we have a deep connection with the sea. Approximately 75% of people in New Zealand live within 10 kilometres of the coast.
Title
WALT
At least 3 sentences explaining your learning to your readers.
Labels
DLO (Digital Learning Object)
Correct spelling and punctuation