Summer learning journey Day 4 week 1

Day 4 - Hitting a High Note...

Activity 1: The Waiata - A Song in Your Heart

In the past, Māori would often use song as a way of sharing information or communicating emotions.  A waiata is the name given to a traditional Māori song. One of my all-time favourite waiata is Kia Paimarie. What about you?

Use Google to research traditional Māori Waiata. Listen to a number of Waiata and read the lyrics. On your blog tell us which one of the waiata you found you like the most. Why do you like it?

My Favourite Waiata | Pokarekare Ana

I like this song because the lyrics it is really a happy song that can cheer someone up and it's not the music it's the people who sing it.

Activity 2: Playing Games

Hundreds of years ago, young Māori children were taught to play a number of games, including Poi Rakau, Ki O Rahi, Koruru Taonga and Poi Toa. Read about each of these four games on the Rangatahi tu Rangatira website. Have you played any of them before? Isn’t it cool how the games have boeen passed down for generations?

Choose one game, and on your blog, tell us the (i) name of the game, (ii) the goal or purpose of the game, and (iii) two rules.

You could try playing some of the games with a friend.

                                                           Game| Koruru Taonga 

What you need:

1. 5 stones the same size, similar to the size of a 20c coin
2. Floor space

How to play:

Throw one stone up and try pick up the others one by one or two by two and so on. There are many more ways almost like tricks you do with the five stones.


The reason I like this is because it's a game that Tongan children in the 1980's and still do play's.

Bonus Activity: Musical Festivals – Matatini

In New Zealand, a huge festival is held every two years, called Te Matatini. This performing arts festival celebrates the tikanga (culture or customs) of Māori. Kapa Haka groups from around New Zealand are invited to attend the festival and each group gives a 25-minute performance. The performances are judged and the best teams win prizes.

The gold medal winning team from this year (2017) was Te Kapa Haka o Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti.

Watch these three clips from previous Te Matatini festivals.

Tamatea Arikinui

Te Iti Kahurangi

Te Puku o Te Ika

On your blog, rank the performances from your favourite (#1) to least favourite (#3) and tell us why you gave them the ranking that you did.

My Rankings | Te Matatini Festival

1. Te Iti Kahurangi
- The reason I like this is because the song is very catchy and it's a well known song originally from our country NZ. (Bathe in the River)

2. Tamatea Arikinui

- I liked this group because they sounded great singing harmonies and they sounded really lively and performed really effective.

3. Te Puku o Te Ika
- This performance was really good because there singing but is was just sad to see that picture that they were holding.