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Whakapapa Family Stories Introduction

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Whakapapa Family Stories Introduction

Explore how whakapapa can connect people, stories, places and identity. Read the fictional story and study the family diagram. You may write about the fictional whānau instead of sharing personal or private family information.

A story carried through generations

Whakapapa is the layering of relationships and connections across generations. It can include people, place, history and the natural world. Learning about whakapapa may help someone understand where they belong, while each person’s story is their own to share. Ngaio’s fictional whānau has gathered to prepare a story for a community celebration. Her koro, Hemi, tells her that his mother, Mere, grew up near the Whanganui River. Mere taught Hemi a waiata that her own grandmother had shared with her. Ngaio’s māmā, Hana, adds that the river is important to their whānau because it is part of their shared history. Ngaio writes down the names and relationships she has permission to include, and asks before recording any more details.

Mere Hemi’s māmā

Hemi Ngaio’s koro

Ngaio Hana’s tamāhine

Mere is Hemi’s māmā.

Hemi is Ngaio’s koro.

Hana is Ngaio’s māmā.

Read, connect and reflect

Use evidence from the story and the map. Give thoughtful answers; there may be more than one reasonable interpretation.

1.Which description best explains whakapapa as it is used in the story?

A list of names with no connections
Relationships and connections across generations, which may include people, places and history
A record of only the oldest person in a family
A story that must be shared with everyone

2.According to the story and map, what is Mere’s relationship to Ngaio?

3.Match each te reo Māori word to its English meaning: māmā; koro; tamāhine; whānau.

māmā
koro
tamāhine
whānau

daughter
mother
family or extended family
grandfather

4.Who passed the waiata to Hemi, and who had shared it with Mere?

5.Name two connections in the story that are not simply a person’s name or parent-child relationship.

6.The story says that Ngaio writes down information only after checking that she has permission to include it.

TrueFalse

7.Complete the sentence using the correct word: “Hana is Ngaio’s .” Choose from māmā, koro or tamāhine.

8.Ngaio wants to record another detail about her whānau. What is one respectful step she should take before sharing it?

9.The story says the Whanganui River is part of the whānau’s shared history. What can you infer about why place might matter to a whakapapa story? Support your idea with one detail from the passage.

10.Write one open-ended, respectful question Ngaio could ask Hemi to learn more about the waiata’s journey through the generations. Do not assume Hemi has to answer.