Social Functions of Haka

Year Level

Year 12 & 13 (Te Kaunihera ā-Motu o Aotearoa framework)

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

25 students

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Unit Context

Lesson 9 of 14 in the unit "Exploring Te Ao Haka"

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Lesson Description

Students will explore the social and communal functions of haka, focusing on how haka fosters a sense of community, belonging, and collective identity. Through guided group discussions and role-play scenarios, students will deepen their understanding of haka as a living cultural practice that connects people socially and emotionally within whānau, hapū, iwi, and wider communities.

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Curriculum Alignment and Key Competencies

This lesson aligns with Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and integrates key principles, values, and competencies tailored for Māori-medium contexts:

• Social Sciences Learning Area: Understanding how societies function with emphasis on Māori social and cultural practices.
• Key Competencies developed:
• Relating to others – through collaborative discussions and role-play, students learn to navigate social interaction and empathy.
• Participating and contributing – engaging actively in group work and role-play to strengthen communal bonds.
• Thinking – critical reflection on the significance of haka in social settings.
• Using language, symbols, and texts – interpreting haka as a symbolic form of communication within a social framework.
• Principles:
• Treaty of Waitangi – through mahi pārekareka (engaging practices) honouring tikanga Māori traditions.
• Cultural diversity – appreciating haka as a pathway to Māori identity and community well-being.
• High expectations – encouraging active and meaningful participation.
• Values emphasised:
• Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga, Kotahitanga — central to haka’s social function.

This lesson supports whānau ora (social well-being) and embodies the proverb:

"Unuhia te rito o te harakeke, kei whea te kōmako e kō? Whakatairangitia – rere ki uta, rere ki tai; Ui mai koe ki ahau he aha te mea nui o te ao, Māku e kī atu he tangata, he tangata, he tangata!"

This underlines people and relationships as the greatest treasure, which haka celebrates as a communal practice.

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Explain the social and communal purposes of haka within Māori society.
2. Analyze how haka fosters community, belonging, and identity.
3. Demonstrate understanding through participation in role-play of social scenarios involving haka.
4. Reflect on the shared cultural values expressed through haka and their relevance today.

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Resources Required

• Video clips or audio recordings of different haka performances (ceremonial, welcoming, sporting).
• Whiteboard or chart paper and markers.
• Role-play scenario cards.
• Space for group discussion and movement.

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Karakia whakataki to begin the lesson, setting a respectful and focused tone.

• Brief whakawhanaungatanga – quick round of introductions or greetings in te reo Māori to nurture a sense of connection.

• Teacher introduces the topic:

• Explain haka is much more than a performance; it serves social functions such as welcoming visitors, expressing collective identity, fostering unity, and marking key occasions.

• Pose the guiding question: "How does haka help build and maintain our communities and sense of belonging?"

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2. Group Discussion: Social Functions of Haka (15 minutes)

• Divide class into 5 groups of 5 students.

• Each group discusses one of the social functions of haka, for example:

• Welcoming manuhiri (visitors).

• Celebrating achievement or milestones.

• Strengthening unity before collective endeavours.

• Expressing or asserting tribal identity and mana.

• Providing an outlet for shared emotions and solidarity.

• Guide students to consider:

• What is the social context or event?

• What messages or feelings does the haka convey?

• How do participants feel connected through haka?

• Each group prepares a 2-minute summary.

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3. Group Presentations & Whole-Class Reflection (10 minutes)

• Each group presents their discussion summary.
• Teacher facilitates reflection, linking student ideas back to tikanga Māori values like manaakitanga and whanaungatanga.
• Revisit the whakataukī about the importance of people and community.

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4. Role-Play Activity: Haka in Social Contexts (20 minutes)

• Explain the role-play setup: students will enact short scenarios where haka is used socially.

• Provide cards with different social contexts such as:

• Welcoming a visiting iwi delegation.

• Rallying a sports team before a match.

• Mourning or celebrating at a tangihanga (funeral).

• Assertive haka in protest or demonstration.

• Students, in groups of 5, prepare and act out their scenario, integrating appropriate haka elements (may use waiata haka or chants).

• Encourage reflection on how haka helps the group communicate feelings, intentions, and collective identity.

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5. Conclusion and Formative Assessment (5 minutes)

• Quick written or verbal reflection:

• "In what ways did the haka in your role-play show social connection and belonging?"

• "Why do you think haka is still important for communities today?"

• Recap key points.

• Assignment reminder: Prepare a short written piece for next lesson explaining how haka links with modern-day community life, using examples from today.

• Karakia whakamutunga (closing prayer) to end the session.

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Assessment and Feedback

• Formative: Observation during group discussions and role-play assessing student engagement and understanding of haka’s social functions.
• Reflective feedback: Students’ written or oral reflections to assess depth of insight about haka’s communal role.
• Alignment with Te Marautanga o Aotearoa expectations for using language, symbols, and texts and relating to others key competencies.

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Teacher Professional Notes

• Ensure tikanga Māori protocols are respected throughout.
• Provide support for students less confident in te reo Māori through scaffolded sentence starters during discussion.
• Encourage manaakitanga by fostering an environment where students comfortably share perspectives.
• Use multimedia haka examples that illustrate different social functions for authenticity.
• Connect learning to students' experience of community and their own whānau/hapū contexts.

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This lesson plan draws extensively on Te Marautanga o Aotearoa values and competencies, aiming to foster active participation, cultural identity, and critical thinking about haka as a living social practice foundational to New Zealand’s bicultural context.