Te Orokohanga: Māori Creation Stories
Exploring the origins of the world through Māori tradition Year 7 Social Studies
What do you know about creation stories?
Think about stories that explain how the world began What creation stories have you heard before? How do different cultures explain the beginning of everything?
What are Creation Stories?
Stories that explain how the world and everything in it came to be Passed down through generations by word of mouth Important for understanding cultural values and beliefs Help connect people to their ancestors and land
Te Ao Māori - The Māori World
Māori are the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand Rich oral tradition spanning over 1000 years Stories connect people, land, and spiritual beliefs Creation stories called 'Te Orokohanga'
He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata!
What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people!
Te Kore - The Void
In the beginning was Te Kore - the void or nothingness A state of potential and possibility Neither darkness nor light existed The source from which all creation would emerge
Te Pō - The Night
From Te Kore came Te Pō - the long night A time of darkness and gestation Where the first beings began to form The womb of creation
Ranginui and Papatūānuku
The Sky Father (Ranginui) and Earth Mother (Papatūānuku) Locked in eternal embrace Their children lived in darkness between them The beginning of the family of gods
Family Tree Activity
Draw your own family tree Include parents, grandparents, and siblings Compare with the Māori creation family tree Discuss how families connect us to our past
The Children of Rangi and Papa
Tāne-mahuta - god of forests and birds Tangaroa - god of the sea and fish Tūmatauenga - god of war and humans Tāwhirimātea - god of winds and storms Rongo - god of cultivated food Haumia-tiketike - god of wild food
The Consequences of Separation
Light entered the world for the first time Rangi's tears became rain Papa's sighs became mist The children could finally stand upright and create
Why did Tāwhirimātea become angry?
Think about the separation of Rangi and Papa How would you feel if your family was separated? What might Tāwhirimātea do to show his anger?
9 more slides available after you open the deck.
Download all 21 slides