Exploring Kōwhaiwhai Patterns

Context

This 60-minute lesson introduces Year 10 students to Kōwhaiwhai art specifically in connection with their own poropiti (family lineage or tribal connection). It aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum's vision to affirm Māori artistic heritage and develop students’ cultural identity while fostering creativity. The lesson considers the small class size of two students allowing for deep engagement and individualised exploration.

Curriculum Links

Learning Area: The Arts - Visual Arts Level: Year 10 (Level 5) Strands:

Developing ideas in response to a variety of motivations, observation, and imagination
Understanding the roles and contexts of art in society, including tikanga Māori
Using visual language conventions appropriate to specific styles and contexts

Key Competencies:

Thinking (critical and creative thinking to understand kawa and symbolism)
Using language, symbols, and text (interpreting and creating kōwhaiwhai patterns)
Relating to others (exploring poropiti and Māori cultural values)

Achievement Objectives:

Understand and use visual elements and symbols from Kōwhaiwhai as taonga and cultural expressions.
Research and communicate the historical and cultural context of Kōwhaiwhai relevant to their whānau.
Create original Kōwhaiwhai-inspired artworks connecting to personal poropiti.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Explain what Kōwhaiwhai is and identify where it is found in Māori culture.
Describe key historical and cultural contexts of Kōwhaiwhai linked to their poropiti.
Recognise different types of Kōwhaiwhai patterns.
Research a famous Kōwhaiwhai artist and share insights.
Begin creating a personalised Kōwhaiwhai collage book reflecting their connections.

Lesson Overview

Time	Activity	Description	Resources
0-10 min	Introduction: He aha te Kōwhaiwhai?	Teacher-led discussion on "What is Kōwhaiwhai?" Students share any prior knowledge, followed by teacher explanation of the motifs, origins, and significance.	Images of Kōwhaiwhai, whiteboard / paper
10-20 min	Ako Hītori o te Kōwhaiwhai	Explore the history and cultural significance of Kōwhaiwhai within Māori art and their poropiti specifically. Discuss where Kōwhaiwhai can be seen traditionally (wharenui, meeting houses, marae).	Story books, historical images, local iwi sources if available
20-30 min	Kei hea e kitea ai? Ngā tikanga	Visual walk-through identifying locations and tikanga (protocols) related to Kōwhaiwhai patterns; student reflection on the importance of respecting these traditions especially in relation to their whānau.	Photos of wharenui and Māori carvings, tikanga notes
30-50 min	Mahi - Creative workshop	1. Tuhia ngā momo kōwhaiwhai — Students sketch different Kōwhaiwhai motifs they observe or research. 2. Rangahau i ngā tauira rongonui — Brief research on notable Kōwhaiwhai artists or iwi style variations and share findings. 3. Waihanga pukapuka kōwhaiwhai — Begin assembling a small art book combining patterns, drawings, research notes, and personal poropiti stories.	Art materials: coloured pencils / markers, paper, existing research sheets or tablets for research
50-55 min	Aromatawai: Exit ticket	Students write a short answer: "What new thing did you learn about Kōwhaiwhai today?"	Exit ticket paper or digital tool
55-60 min	Pātai ā-waha	Oral question time. Teacher asks open-ended questions: "Why is it important to preserve Kōwhaiwhai art?" "How does it connect with your whakapapa?"	Spoken discussion

Detailed Activity Notes

1. He aha te Kōwhaiwhai? (What is Kōwhaiwhai?)

Define Kōwhaiwhai as traditional painted Māori patterns primarily found on rafters of wharenui.
Discuss significance as whakapapa, stories, and cultural symbolism embedded in each pattern.
Show examples featuring koru, mangōpare, and other traditional forms.

2. Ako Hītori (Learning History)

Guide the students through korero about how Kōwhaiwhai patterns represent tribal identity and tribal stories, with special focus on their own tāngata whenua connections.
Use iwi-specific examples if possible.

3. Kei hea e kitea ai? Ngā tikanga (Where is it found? Customs)

Include visual prompts of marae and wharenui, highlight the placement of kōwhaiwhai on ceiling ridges and pou.
Discuss tikanga such as respect and guardianship (kaitiakitanga) of these taonga.

4. Mahi (Activities)

First, support students in identifying and sketching various kōwhaiwhai designs, discussing shapes and meanings.
Second, conduct mini research assigning each student a notable artist or iwi style (e.g., Ngāti Whātua, Ngāi Tūhoe). They briefly present key features found.
Finally, students begin their own pukapuka kōwhaiwhai — a personalised book combining their sketches, research notes, and reflections about how these patterns connect with their topū or poropiti.

5. Aromatawai (Assessment)

A simple exit ticket asking for one new fact learned promotes reflection and formative assessment.

6. Pātai ā-waha (Oral questions)

Engage students in discussion to verbalise their understanding and cultural connection.

Resources Needed

Visuals of Kōwhaiwhai patterns and Marae interiors
Writing and art materials (pencils, coloured pens/markers, paper)
Tablets or printed research sheets on famous Kōwhaiwhai artists and iwi styles
Exit ticket sheets

Teacher Reflection and Adaptations

Given the small class size, individual interests and iwi connections can be deeply integrated.
Supporting Tikanga Māori throughout the lesson enables students to appreciate the living values behind the artform, not just the aesthetics.
The pukapuka creation provides an ongoing project for learners to deepen creativity and cultural knowledge beyond this lesson.
Sensitive inquiry about poropiti connections should be handled respectfully and responsively.

This plan embeds culturally responsive pedagogy rooted in the New Zealand Curriculum and empowers students through art, history, and personal identity. It offers space for creativity, critical thinking, and whakawhanaungatanga essential in a modern Aotearoa classroom.

Teaching Instructions