Te Waharoa me Te Marae

Overview

Ka tūhura ngā ākonga i te hanganga o te marae, ka tīmata ki te waharoa. Ka ako rātou he aha te waharoa, he aha i hangaia ai, me tōna tūranga hei tohu i te tomokanga, hei tiaki, hei whakaatu hoki i ngā kōrero tuku iho o te iwi. Ka whakamahi ngā ākonga i ngā rauemi Google Classroom mō te ako ā-takitahi, ā, ka waihanga i tētahi whakamārama ā-waha, ā-tuhi hoki.

Learning intentions

• WALT whakamārama he aha te waharoa me tōna hiranga ki te marae.
• WALT tautohu i ētahi wāhanga matua o te marae me ō rātou mahi.
• WALT whakamahi i te reo Māori hei whakaahua i te hanganga me te kaupapa o tētahi wāhi.
• WALT whakaatu i te whanaungatanga, te manaakitanga me te tikanga i roto i ngā kōrero mō te marae.

Success criteria

• I can define the waharoa in clear te reo Māori or supported bilingual language.
• I can explain at least two reasons why a waharoa was constructed.
• I can identify and describe at least five important marae spaces.
• I can explain how the marae reflects relationships, place, tikanga and mātauranga Māori.

Curriculum links

• Te Reo Māori introduction: teachers use local mātauranga Māori and meaningful contexts to deepen understanding of Māori worldview knowledge.
• Emergent 1 teaching sequence — Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge: instructions and explanations should respect tikanga, use polite and clear language, and acknowledge relationships and place.
• Emergent 1 teaching sequence — Productive skills, Kōrero ā waha: students present about matters of immediate personal relevance and importance.
• Novice 2 teaching sequence — Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge: interactions are guided by whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and tikanga.

Lesson structure (80 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Tūhura i te whakaahua. Open with the opening waharoa image and question and ask, “He aha tēnei? He aha pea tōna kaupapa?” Students make an individual prediction in Google Classroom, then share with a partner. Remind students that marae designs and meanings vary between iwi and hapū; avoid treating one example as universal.

2. 8–23 min · Whakamārama: te waharoa. Teacher presents the waharoa teaching slides and explains: Ko te waharoa te tomokanga nui ki ētahi marae. Ko “waha” te mouth or entrance, ā, ko “roa” te long or extended form; nō reira, he tomokanga whakahirahira e tohu ana i te kuhu ki tētahi wāhi tapu, mana nui hoki. A waharoa may be carved, painted or built in another local style. It marks the boundary between the outside world and the marae ātea, welcomes visitors, and can represent ancestors, atua, local history, whenua and tribal identity. Traditionally, constructing a waharoa helped establish and protect the identity and mana of a marae. Its carvings could communicate whakapapa and significant stories to people entering. It is not merely a gate or decoration: it signals that visitors should enter respectfully, follow tikanga and recognise the people and place they are entering. Students record three key points and one question on the marae structure investigation sheet.

3. 23–35 min · Te hanganga o te marae. Use the marae layout and vocabulary slides to introduce the marae ātea, wharenui, whare kai, waharoa, urupā and tāhuhu. Explain that names, layouts, carvings and protocols can differ locally. In pairs, students match each place to its likely purpose on the worksheet and add a respectful behaviour associated with visiting a marae.

4. 35–55 min · Ako ā-takitahi i Google Classroom. Students work through the teacher-posted slide prompts and approved class resources independently or in pairs. They complete a labelled marae layout and answer: “He aha te take i hangaia ai te waharoa?”, “He pēhea te whakaatu a te waharoa i te mana o te iwi?”, and “He aha ngā tikanga me whai i te tomokanga?” Students who are absent can complete the same task remotely and submit it in Google Classroom.

5. 55–69 min · Kōrero ā-waha. Model the sentence frame, “Ko te waharoa he… Ko tōna kaupapa ko… He mea nui nā te mea…” Students rehearse, then present a 45–60 second explanation to a partner. Partners use the success criteria to give one specific strength and one question. Invite several students to share, ensuring pronunciation is corrected respectfully and privately where needed.

6. 69–76 min · Whakaaro hōhonu. Teacher displays the comparison and discussion slides. Groups discuss: “Mēnā kāore he waharoa, he aha pea ka ngaro i te tangata e kuhu ana ki te marae?” Students connect the physical structure to identity, whakapapa, place, manaakitanga and tikanga, then add one developed response to the worksheet.

7. 76–80 min · Aromatawai putanga. Students submit the worksheet or a Google Classroom response containing a definition of waharoa, two purposes, and one tikanga expectation. They also rate their confidence from 1–5 and identify one question for future learning.

Resources

• the complete marae and waharoa slide deck
• the marae structure investigation sheet
• Google Classroom task and submission folder
• Google Docs or Google Forms for predictions and exit responses
• Projector or shared screens
• Image of a locally relevant waharoa, where permission and context are appropriate
• Headphones and text-to-speech access for students learning remotely

Assessment

• Check predictions, worksheet responses and paired explanations for accurate understanding of the waharoa and respectful use of language.
• Listen for students explaining purpose rather than only naming physical features; conference with students who confuse the waharoa with the entire marae ātea.
• Use the final Google Classroom response to assess definition, reasons, tikanga and connection to Māori worldview knowledge.

Differentiation

• Provide bilingual definitions, labelled visuals, pronunciation support, sentence frames and a word bank. Allow students to record an audio response instead of writing extended answers.
• Offer dyslexia-friendly copies with a clear sans-serif font, larger spacing, short chunks of text, reduced copying, audio instructions and Google Read&Write or device text-to-speech.
• Pair students strategically and allow independent, paired or remote completion. Check understanding privately and provide extra processing time.
• For students with strong prior knowledge, encourage comparison with a local iwi or hapū example and require evidence for how design features communicate whakapapa, history or mana.

Extension

• Create a two-minute narrated digital tour of a marae, beginning at the waharoa and explaining how visitors move respectfully through the space.
• Research a local waharoa, using information approved by the school or iwi, and compare its visible design features with the general purposes discussed in class.