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Te Arawa Tikanga Exploration

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Te Arawa Tikanga Exploration

Read the short information panel, then complete the activities. Tikanga and kawa can vary between iwi, hapū and marae. Treat the examples as prompts for respectful learning, not as rules that apply everywhere.

Read: Tikanga in context

Tikanga describes values, customs and ways of doing things that help people act appropriately. Kawa refers to protocols or procedures, especially those followed in a particular setting. The two ideas are closely connected, and their meaning and practice can differ between communities. Te Arawa is an iwi confederation with strong connections to Te Arawa waka and the Rotorua region. For many people, whakapapa, te reo Māori, places, stories and relationships help carry identity across generations. On a marae, a pōwhiri may welcome manuhiri (visitors), but the order and details are determined by the mana whenua and local kawa. Visitors can show respect by listening, following guidance and asking politely when unsure. Practices such as karakia, whaikōrero, hongi and sharing kai may be part of an occasion, but they are not identical at every marae. Tikanga is living: communities maintain, discuss and adapt practices while upholding values such as caring for visitors and strengthening relationships.

Kupu and understanding

1.Match the kupu with the correct meaning.

Tikanga
Kawa
Manaakitanga
Whanaungatanga

Relationships, connection and belonging
Values, customs and appropriate ways of acting
Protocols or procedures followed in a setting
Care, respect and hospitality

2.What is the most accurate way to describe the relationship between tikanga and kawa?

They are connected ideas, and kawa can describe protocols within a particular setting.
Tikanga is only used at home, while kawa is only used at school.
They mean exactly the same thing in every context.
Kawa replaces tikanga in modern communities.

3.Give two examples from the passage of ways people may show respect when visiting a marae.

A respectful visit

Tui and Harrison are helping prepare a welcome for visitors at a community event. Georgia suggests that the group follow the hosts' instructions because local kawa may differ from what they have experienced elsewhere.

4.Choose the response that best shows care for the visitors and respect for local kawa.

Assume every marae follows the same order and correct the hosts if it differs.
Listen to the hosts, follow their guidance and ask respectfully if something is unclear.
Avoid taking part in any activity, even when invited.
Tell the hosts to change their protocol to suit the visitors.

5.Explain how the response you chose in Question 4 shows respect. Use at least one kupu from the reading.

6.Mark each statement true or false, then correct any false statement: (a) The details of a pōwhiri can differ between marae. (b) Tikanga never changes. (c) Asking politely when unsure can be respectful.

TrueFalse

Reflect and connect

7.Complete the sentence with a suitable kupu: Showing care and hospitality towards others is an example of .

8.In your own words, explain one way tikanga and kawa are connected and one way their meanings are different.

9.A community is discussing how to welcome visitors who cannot take part in one part of an event. Suggest one respectful way the organisers could respond, and explain how they can honour local tikanga while considering the visitors' needs.

10.Write one thoughtful question you could ask a knowledgeable Te Arawa speaker to learn more about tikanga or kawa. Keep it open-ended and respectful.