Tracing Atua Influence

Curriculum Area:

Te Reo Māori – Reo me ōna Tikanga (Tikanga-ā-Iwi)
NCEA Level 3
Achievement Standard 29320: Explain how the deeds and roles of selected atua Māori have influenced iwi

Context:

Iwi Focus: Ngāti Manawa
Student Level: Year 12
Class Size: 15 students
Duration: 50 minutes
Differentiated Literacy Needs: Included for low – high literacy levels

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Learning Intentions:

• Akonga will:
  • Identify two atua Māori associated with Ngāti Manawa
  • Explain specific deeds and roles of these atua
  • Examine the influence of these atua on Ngāti Manawa beliefs, values, and practices

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Success Criteria:

• I can describe the roles and deeds of atua relevant to Ngāti Manawa
• I can connect these deeds to iwi-specific practices or worldviews
• I can explain how these connections influence tikanga and contemporary identity

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Key Concepts (For Whakataumatua / Anchoring Understanding):

• Atua: Māori deities with roles across the natural and spiritual worlds
• Ngāti Manawa: Central North Island iwi whose narratives connect deeply with Hinepūkohurangi and Tāne-nui-a-Rangi
• Tikanga: Customary system of values and practices
• Whakapapa: Genealogy and relational identity with atua

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Differentiation Matrix

Group	Literacy Level	Support Strategy
Manu Pīrere (Bird Learners)	Emerging	Visual aids, sentence scaffolds, oral group discussions
Manu Tiaki (Guardian Learners)	Developing	Guided writing frames, partner work
Manu Rangatira (Leader Learners)	Advanced	Independent synthesis tasks, push to extend vocabulary

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Materials Needed:

• Printed pūrākau reader sheets (with versions at 2 literacy levels)
• Mahi cards with deeds/values/tikanga
• Marker pens and butcher paper (stations)
• Printed Ngāti Manawa whakapapa visual with atua connected via lines
• Clipboards or hard surfaces for working on floor groups
• Kahoot! quiz (translated for reo Māori context – for optional plenary)

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Lesson Overview – 50 mins

1. Mihi Whakatau & Whakarite (Settle) – 5 mins

• Karakia timatanga led by student volunteer
• Quick pūraketanga warm-up: “Name an atua and a one-word value you associate with them”
• Purpose & learning intentions explained in both English and Te Reo Māori

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2. Ngāti Manawa Atua Whakapapa Exploration – 10 mins

• Activity: Present a large whakapapa diagram showing Ngāti Manawa lines to Hinepūkohurangi and Tāne-nui-a-Rangi

• Mini-talk (teacher-led): Overview of the unique tie Ngāti Manawa hold with these atua — Te Whaiti-Nui-a-Toi region and ngahere origins

  Differentiation:

  • Manu Pīrere: Listen-and-draw (highlight connections on simplified whakapapa)
  • Manu Rangatira: Brief independent annotation to predict influence pathways

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3. Pūrākau Station Activity – 15 mins

• Activity: Three Stations with pūrākau posters and deeds of Tāne-nui-a-Rangi and Hinepūkohurangi

  • Station 1: Tāne brings ngā kete o te wānanga from Te Toi-o-ngā-rangi
  • Station 2: Hinepūkohurangi, embodiment of mist, linked to relationships and identity
  • Station 3: Application: Linking deeds to Ngāti Manawa practices (e.g., conservation, storytelling, waiata)

  Task:

  • Students explore each station in small, mixed-literate groups
  • Respond on mahi card:
    • What is the deed?
    • What value does it show?
    • How might this influence Ngāti Manawa?

  Support:

  • Manu Pīrere: Sentence scaffolds: “Tāne did ___. This shows the value of ___. It could affect Ngāti Manawa by ___.”
  • Manu Rangatira: Connect with examples of current kaupapa (e.g., ngahere protection, iwi education initiatives)

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4. Hui-Akoranga Group Feedback – 10 mins

• Regroup and form a kōrero circle

• Each group shares one influence and how it manifests today in Ngāti Manawa kaupapa

  Prompting Questions:

  • “How can this atua’s influence still be felt on marae?”
  • “Do you see these values in the way Ngāti Manawa interact with te taiao?”

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5. Whakaaro Whaiaro (Reflection) – 5 mins

• Individual reflection prompt:
  Write 3 sentences starting with:

  • “Ko taku whakaaro…”
  • “He aha te mea nui i ako au…”
  • “Ka taea e au tēnei mā…”

  Alternative Format (if appropriate):
  Photo voice – students sketch a symbol for one value handed down by the atua

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Optional Plenary/Extension (Time Permitting or Homework):

• Kahoot quiz based on learning content
• Karanga to Whānau: Interview a whānau member about which atua they feel most connected to and why
• Prepare a creative response – a short poem or digital poster summarising one influence of an atua on Ngāti Manawa

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Assessment for Learning:

• Observation of station discussions
• Completed mahi cards
• Reflections collected (analyse for language use + conceptual understanding)
• Use student outputs to determine readiness for deeper learning in whakapapa interconnections or oral storytelling in next lesson

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Next Steps:

• Explore regional variations in pūrākau about the same atua
• Compare Ngāti Manawa understandings to those of neighbouring iwi such as Ngāti Whare
• Develop a persuasive oral or written response for AS91386 (Tikanga-based presentation)

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Teacher Tips:

• Celebrate diverse knowledge – allow students who whakapapa to Ngāti Manawa to share freely
• Use kaiako modelling with metaphors and pūrākau routinely to weave concepts into all learning areas
• Embed tikanga daily – begin and end with karakia, maintain spiritual and cultural safety in korero about atua

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Final Thought (For Students):

“Kua takoto te mānuka. Mā koutou e hiki te mānuka i tukuna mai e ō tātou atua.” — The challenge lies before you. May you pick it up with the strength of those before you.