Stories of Tarawera

Overview

Students explore Māori pūrākau and historical accounts connected with Te Otukapuarangi (the Pink Terraces), Te Tarata (the White Terraces), Lake Rotomahana and the 1886 Tarawera eruption. They learn to distinguish between pūrākau, oral history and later written records, while recognising that local iwi and hapū are the appropriate holders of knowledge about their whenua.

Learning intentions

• WALT locate the Pink and White Terraces and Lake Rotomahana in their historical setting.
• WALT listen respectfully to Māori stories and explanations connected with Tarawera.
• WALT distinguish between a pūrākau, an eyewitness account and a later historical record.
• WALT explain why Māori perspectives and local Marau ā-Kura are important when learning about the past.

Success criteria

• I can name Te Otukapuarangi and Te Tarata and describe where they were.
• I can retell one key idea from a pūrākau or Māori oral account without presenting it as a proven fact.
• I can identify whether information comes from a story, an eyewitness account or a later record.
• I can ask a respectful question about whose knowledge has been included.

Curriculum links

• Te Ao Māori — Mātauranga Māori, tikanga, whakapapa, ūkaipōtanga and connection to whenua and iwi/hapū narratives.
• Marau ā-Kura — using local iwi, hapū, marae histories, te reo ā-iwi and pūrākau where these are approved by the kura or local knowledge holders.
• Te Reo Pākehā — listening, discussing, questioning and communicating ideas clearly in an additional-language learning context.
• Learning dispositions — manaakitanga, whakarongo, whakamana and careful use of evidence when engaging with mātauranga Māori.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and whenua connection. Open with the opening image and enquiry question showing a respectful historical image or artist’s reconstruction of the terraces, and ask: “What might this place have meant to the people who lived there?” Students silently notice details, then share one observation with a partner. Establish that the terraces were living places of significance, not simply a tourist attraction.

2. 5–12 min · Locate and introduce. Use the location and timeline slides to locate Lake Rotomahana, Te Otukapuarangi and Te Tarata, and introduce the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera. Explain that the terraces were associated with Tūhourangi and other local communities, and that guide Sophia Hinerangi (Te Paea) is remembered in accounts of the area. Students add three labels and one date to the Tarawera stories inquiry sheet.

3. 12–22 min · Hear the stories carefully. Read or tell two short, age-appropriate extracts prepared from approved sources: one Māori pūrākau or traditional explanation associated with Tarawera, and one Māori oral or eyewitness account describing the eruption and its effects. Do not claim there is one definitive “Māori myth”. Explain that accounts may differ between whānau, iwi and hapū, and that sacred knowledge should not be copied or dramatised without permission. Students record the main idea, people or place involved, and one respectful question on the worksheet.

4. 22–32 min · Source sorting in groups. In groups of five, students use the source-sorting instructions and classify four teacher-provided statements as “pūrākau/traditional account”, “eyewitness or oral history”, “later historical record” or “not enough information”. Groups must justify one decision using the stem: “We think this is ___ because ___.” Emphasise that classification is about the type of source, not deciding whether a cultural story is “true” or “false”.

5. 32–40 min · Meaning and perspective discussion. Display the discussion prompts. Groups discuss: “What can a pūrākau teach us about relationships with whenua?” and “What might be missing if we only used a visitor’s account?” Students complete a two-column response on the worksheet: “What this source helps us understand” and “What we still need to find out”. Invite several groups to share, ensuring students speak about the stories respectfully.

6. 40–45 min · Plenary and exit reflection. Return to the final reflection slide. Students complete the worksheet exit response: “One important thing I learned about Te Otukapuarangi, Te Tarata or Tarawera is… The source type was… A respectful question I still have is…”. Collect responses to identify misconceptions and questions for a future local inquiry.

Resources

• the Tarawera stories slide deck
• the Tarawera stories inquiry sheet
• Teacher-approved, age-appropriate extracts from local iwi, hapū, museum or archive sources
• Map of Aotearoa and the Rotorua district
• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Coloured group source cards
• Pencils and highlighters

Assessment

• Listen for accurate use of place names and respectful language during pair and group discussion.
• Check source classifications and justifications, particularly whether students distinguish pūrākau from eyewitness and later written accounts.
• Use the exit response to assess understanding of the terraces’ location, the importance of Māori perspectives, and students’ ability to identify a source type.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank with: whenua, iwi, hapū, pūrākau, oral history, eyewitness, eruption, terrace and source. Read all extracts aloud and provide a simplified version with key ideas highlighted.
• Use mixed-ability groups of five, assigning roles such as reader, map finder, recorder, speaker and kaitiaki of respectful discussion. Offer sentence starters: “This account focuses on…”, “The people connected with this place were…”, and “We should check this with…”.
• Allow students to respond through drawing, labelled notes or oral recording before writing full sentences. Pronounce Māori names accurately and invite correction respectfully.
• Extend confident students by comparing how two accounts represent the relationship between people, whenua and natural events, while avoiding ranking one knowledge system above another.
• If the kura has local Marau ā-Kura guidance or approved iwi resources, use those in preference to generalised retellings. Do not reproduce restricted or tapu knowledge.