Ngāi Tahu Cultural Mapping resources developed for schools

Te Waipounamu teachers can now incorporate Ngāi Tahu mātauranga (knowledge) as part of their Aotearoa/New Zealand social studies and history lessons.

Following on from the successful launch of Kā Huru Manu, the Ngāi Tahu Cultural Mapping Project, an educational framework has been developed so that the online digital atlas can be utilised as a classroom resource.

It is designed to support the use of Kā Huru Manu in social studies lessons and acts as a guide for teachers in Te Waipounamu who want to incorporate Ngāi Tahu stories and histories of place into their social studies curriculum.

Ngāi Tahu Archive Manager Takerei Norton says: “Following on from the launch of Kā Huru Manu, we had many teachers ask us our archive team for guidance on how to utilise the information for their classroom lessons. We are excited to be able to present this framework and we are looking forward to working with teachers on how this framework can help to intertwine Ngāi Tahu perspectives and narratives into their lessons.

“We encourage teachers to use this resource alongside existing programmes developed by schools working directly with their local Ngāi Tahu papatipu rūnanga.”

The Ngāi Tahu Archive team worked closely with Michael Harcourt – a social studies/history teacher whose PhD research is looking at how teachers and students engage with New Zealand’s history of colonisation in social studies and history – to develop the framework. His input ensured the framework aligns with current New Zealand curriculum guidelines.

Harcourt says: “Social studies encourages students to explore social issues that are authentic and how they affect real people within real contexts. Using Kā Huru Manu as a backdrop, the framework outlines key Māori concepts that students are likely to encounter. It gives them the scope and deeper understanding on historical and current social issues that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.

“The framework is not designed to be a complete lesson plan, but instead act as a guide. It presents pathways that teachers can use to engage the use of Kā Huru Manu in active, creative and critical ways.”

The framework will be launched at a workshop for teachers as part of Heritage Month Southland on Friday 6 March. More workshops for educators are planned throughout Te Waipounamu later this year.

Further information

• Kā Huru Manu was launched online in 2018. The atlas includes more than 1,000 traditional Māori place names, original Māori land allocations, and a selection of traditional travel routes throughout the Ngāi Tahu rohe (territory).
• The website includes a mixture of photo galleries, quotes, interactive maps, and videos.
• Kā Huru Manu is administered by the Ngāi Tahu Archive Team alongside the 18 Ngāi Tahu papatipu rūnanga, and under the guidance of Te Pae Kōrako (the Ngāi Tahu Archive Advisory Committee)
• Please email [email protected] for a copy of the Kā Huru Manu educational framework.
• Register for the Heritage Month Southland workshop by emailing [email protected].