Māori Battalion Stories

Overview

This 120-minute lesson for Year 8 students in New Zealand explores the history and contributions of the Māori Battalion during World Wars I and II. The lesson integrates Te Reo Māori language opportunities throughout to support students’ understanding and respect for Māori culture and history while aligning closely with the New Zealand Curriculum’s vision, principles, values, and key competencies.

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Curriculum Links

Learning Area: Social Sciences (Aotearoa New Zealand histories, people, and places)

Achievement Objectives (Level 4-5):

• Understand how people remember and recount New Zealand’s histories (Social Sciences, Level 4).
• Explain how concepts of fairness and justice have influenced events and responses in New Zealand history.
• Recognise how tangata whenua have participated in and influenced New Zealand's history.
• Use sources and evidence to build and communicate understanding of historical events.

Key Competencies:

• Using language, symbols, and texts: Students use Te Reo Māori and English to communicate and explore concepts related to Māori Battalion history.
• Thinking: Critical inquiry into historical causes and effects, reflection on social justice and equity.
• Relating to others: Collaborate in group activities discussing perspectives and sharing ideas.
• Managing self: Engage responsibly and respectfully in learning about sensitive historical topics.

Principles:

• Treaty of Waitangi: Exploring Māori perspectives on enlistment and partnership issues during war.
• Cultural Diversity: Appreciating contributions of Māori soldiers and understanding cultural expressions like waiata.
• Inclusion: Ensuring all voices, including those of Māori soldiers and communities, are heard and valued.

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Identify the different companies of the Māori Battalion and their regional origins (e.g., Wellington, Waikato, Northland).
2. Explain the reasons why Māori joined the war effort, especially the desire to be recognised as equal Treaty partners.
3. Describe Princess Te Puea’s hesitancy toward Māori enlistment in WW1 and the consequences when Māori refused to enlist initially.
4. Locate on a map the major deployment sites of the Māori Battalion during WW2.
5. Recognise and appreciate wartime waiata as cultural expressions connected to the Battalion.
6. Understand the high casualty rates suffered by Māori soldiers and the inequalities they faced upon return compared to Pākehā soldiers.
7. Learn about Koro Bom, the last living Māori Battalion soldier, and his significance today.
8. Use Te Reo Māori phrases and vocabulary relevant to the topic throughout the lesson.

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Materials Needed

• Map of New Zealand and WW2 deployment locations
• Audio recordings / printed lyrics of wartime waiata
• Images and brief bios of Māori Battalion companies and Koro Bom
• Role cards depicting different perspectives (Princess Te Puea, enlisted soldier, returned soldier)
• Whiteboard / digital presentation

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Lesson Plan Timeline

1. Introduction & Engagement (15 minutes)

• Karakia and Waiata: Begin with a simple karakia and play or sing a selected waiata from the wartime era (e.g., “E Pa To Hau”).
• Introduce Topic: Discuss who the Māori Battalion were, highlighting the Māori soldiers’ pride and commitment.
• Te Reo Māori Vocabulary: Introduce key terms like rōpū (company), pākehā, toa (warrior), pakanga (war), wēnuitanga (deployment).

Curriculum Focus: Using language, symbols, and texts; engaging cultural identity and values.

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2. Who Were the Companies? (15 minutes)

• Show a map of New Zealand with locations of different companies in the Māori Battalion: Wellington, Waikato, Northland, etc.
• Activity: In pairs, students match names of companies with their rohe (regions) using the map and cards.
• Discuss why companies were regionally based to reinforce concepts of mana whenua (local authority).

Curriculum Focus: Social Sciences, identity and place; spatial knowledge and mapping.

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3. Why Did Māori Join the War Effort? (20 minutes)

• Present brief background: Māori viewed military service as a way to assert equality as Treaty partners, contributing to the war to gain rights and recognition.
• Explain Princess Te Puea’s stance: hesitant about enlistment in WW1 because of Māori wellbeing concerns and treaty grievances.
• Discuss the Rāhui period and initial refusal by some hapū to enlist.
• Role Play Activity: In groups, students take on roles of Princess Te Puea, Māori elders, young men wanting to enlist, and discuss their perspectives.

Curriculum Focus: Understanding multiple perspectives on historical events; relating to others.

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4. Deployment and Wartime Experience (15 minutes)

• Show locations where the Māori Battalion served in WW2: North Africa, Italy, Pacific Islands.
• Students mark places on a map and say the place names in both English and Te Reo Māori (e.g., Itari for Italy).
• Discuss some challenges and experiences faced during deployment.

Curriculum Focus: Using language and symbols; spatial and place knowledge.

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5. Wartime Waiata and Cultural Expression (15 minutes)

• Introduce several waiata from the war era, explaining their meanings and significance as morale boosters and expressions of identity.
• Activity: Teach students the chorus of one waiata in Te Reo Māori, including translation and historical context.
• Discuss how waiata connect to identity and resilience.

Curriculum Focus: The Arts, language, and identity.

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6. Casualties and Inequalities Post-war (20 minutes)

• Present data and stories illustrating the high number of Māori casualties in the war.

• Discuss the inequalities Māori soldiers faced upon return (e.g., limited access to land, employment bias, minimal recognition compared to Pākehā soldiers).

• Explore students’ ideas on fairness and justice.

• Discussion Prompt: Why do these inequalities matter today? What can we learn from this history?

Curriculum Focus: Social justice and citizenship; critical thinking.

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7. Koro Bom – The Last Māori Battalion Soldier (10 minutes)

• Share the story and photo of Koro Bom, highlighting his significance as a living link to this history.
• Students reflect with a short written or oral response: What does Koro Bom’s story teach us about remembering history?

Curriculum Focus: Reflective thinking and using language to express ideas.

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8. Wrap-Up and Assessment (10 minutes)

• Quick formative quiz or kahoot-style questions with some questions in Te Reo Māori (e.g., "Nā wai ngā kamupene i hanga?" – Who made the companies?).
• Exit slip: Write/say one new thing learned and one question they still have.

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Assessment

Formative assessment through:

• Participation in discussions and role-play.
• Mapping activity accuracy.
• Waiata performance and understanding.
• Responses to reflection/question prompts.

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Additional Notes

• Use Te Reo Māori as much as comfortably possible and encourage students to use it too. Provide translations to scaffold understanding.
• Integrate tikanga and respect when discussing sensitive topics like casualties and inequalities.
• This lesson can be extended with digital storytelling or visits to local museums or iwi elders.

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This lesson plan empowers students to understand the historical contributions and challenges of the Māori Battalion while engaging with Te Reo Māori, fulfilling the New Zealand Curriculum's social sciences aims and principles with culturally responsive practices.

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If you would like, I can help you with resources such as waiata lyrics, role-play scripts, or map templates to further enhance this lesson.