Cultural Context In Practice

Overview

Lesson 21 of 30 in Exploring Whakairo Traditions. Students investigate how cultural context, tikanga, materials, purpose and audience influence whakairo processes and presentation. They apply this understanding to their developing carving or design proposal, making culturally informed decisions and explaining their intentions.

Learning intentions

• WALT explain how cultural context influences the making and presentation of whakairo.
• WALT identify relationships between purpose, materials, symbols, process and audience.
• WALT apply appropriate cultural conventions to refine our own practical work.
• WALT communicate informed decisions using visual arts terminology and evidence.

Success criteria

• I can identify at least two contextual influences in a whakairo example.
• I can explain how context affects a carving’s materials, process, symbols or presentation.
• I can make and justify a culturally informed decision about my own work.
• I can discuss cultural knowledge respectfully, without treating Māori visual language as decorative imagery.

Curriculum links

• Produce a resolved work demonstrating control of skills appropriate to cultural conventions: students refine a practical work and manage materials and techniques according to their intention.
• Demonstrate an understanding of methods and ideas from established practice appropriate to painting: students document and analyse methods and ideas from established practice, with reference to context. The investigation may inform their wider visual arts practice.
• Examine the influence of contexts on art works: students explain how cultural, historical, social, spiritual and functional contexts influence characteristics, production and meaning.
• Produce a systematic body of work showing understanding of art-making conventions and ideas within design: students generate, develop, edit and select related ideas for their ongoing body of work.

Lesson structure (120 minutes)

1. 0–10 min · Whakatau and visual provocation. Teacher welcomes students, establishes respectful expectations for discussing whakairo, and opens the hook and lesson intention slides showing two contrasting presentations of carved work: one in a customary setting and one in a contemporary public or gallery setting. Students silently record what changes between the settings and what appears to remain important.

2. 10–28 min · Context mini-lesson. Teacher uses the context teaching slides to introduce context as the circumstances in which an artwork is made, viewed and valued, focusing on whakapapa, tikanga, whenua, function, materials, maker, audience and location. Explain that whakairo is not simply a style or collection of motifs; meanings and protocols are connected to specific iwi, hapū, histories and purposes. Students annotate the cultural context analysis worksheet as the teacher models a context–artwork connection, such as how location and function influence scale, imagery, materials and viewer interaction.

3. 28–48 min · Paired artwork analysis. Teacher displays three carefully selected examples of whakairo from reliable classroom sources and directs students to the analysis questions on the cultural context analysis worksheet. Students work in pairs to identify observable features, record known or researched contextual information, and write explanation sentences using “Because the work is made for…, the artist…”. They must distinguish evidence they can see from assumptions they should not make.

4. 48–60 min · Hui and critique of interpretations. Teacher facilitates a whole-class discussion using the discussion prompt slides, asking: “Who is the intended audience?”, “What might the setting communicate?”, “How could materials and tools affect meaning?”, and “What information would we need before interpreting this work?” Students share one supported observation, respectfully challenge an unsupported assumption, and add a revised explanation to their worksheet. Where local iwi knowledge or school tikanga is relevant, the teacher acknowledges the appropriate source rather than presenting generalisations as universal Māori practice.

5. 60–95 min · Apply context to own work. Teacher explains the studio task through the practical task and process slides: students review their current carving, maquette, drawing or design development and complete the planning section of the cultural context analysis worksheet. They identify intended purpose and audience, relevant place or context, appropriate materials and processes, symbol or form choices, presentation method, and one decision they will change or strengthen. Students then make a focused practical refinement, such as adjusting form, scale, surface treatment, tool marks, composition or display arrangement. Students working with Māori forms must use knowledge responsibly, identify their source of learning, and avoid copying culturally specific patterns without understanding or permission.

6. 95–110 min · Peer feedback and revision. Teacher pairs students for a structured critique and replays the peer feedback prompts. Students explain one contextual decision and receive feedback beginning with “I can see…” and “I wonder how…”. Each student records one actionable revision, then completes it where time allows. Teacher conferences with students who need help connecting an artistic choice to context rather than merely describing appearance.

7. 110–120 min · Gallery walk and exit reflection. Teacher arranges a quiet viewing of works and opens the plenary and exit question slide. Students leave their work and worksheet visible, view at least three peers’ decisions, and complete the final reflection: “The most important contextual influence on my work is… because…” and “One decision I will carry into the next lesson is…”. Teacher collects worksheets and notes students requiring cultural, technical or conceptual follow-up.

Resources

• the Cultural Context in Practice slide deck
• the cultural context analysis worksheet
• Three teacher-selected images or reproductions of whakairo
• Students’ developing carving, maquette, sketchbook or design work
• Appropriate carving tools, materials and protective equipment
• Pencils, drawing materials and annotated examples
• Drying, storage and display space
• Camera or device for documenting progress
• Board or projection system

Assessment

• Formatively assess paired analysis for accurate use of evidence and explanation of how context influences materials, processes, symbols, purpose or presentation.
• During studio conferences, check that each student can justify a practical decision in relation to cultural conventions, intention and audience.
• Use the collected worksheet and exit reflection to identify whether students are describing context, explaining its influence, or making perceptive connections. Record practical progress towards a resolved work and systematic development.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank and sentence frames on the worksheet, including context, purpose, audience, * tikanga*, whakapapa, material, process, symbol and presentation. Allow students to respond through annotated drawing plus short written explanation.
• Model one complete evidence–explanation answer before paired work. Use mixed-confidence pairs and offer a reduced choice of two artworks for students requiring additional structure.
• Support EAL learners with images, oral rehearsal, pronunciation of Māori vocabulary and permission to explain ideas verbally before writing. Avoid requiring students to speak for an iwi or cultural group.
• Extend students by asking them to explain how two contexts interact, such as place and audience, or how changing the presentation setting could alter interpretation without changing the object.
• For students with physical, sensory or learning needs, provide adapted tools, a digital or maquette-based outcome, movement breaks, enlarged images and additional time for documentation. Ensure safe tool use and respectful access to cultural material.