Section outline

  • EXPLORE / TŪHURA

    EXPLORE / TŪHURA learning intentions:

    • We are EXPLORING what we know about treaties, including Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
    • We are CONNECTING links between agreements as a class previously and some details about Te Tiriti or Waitangi Day.
    • We are EXPLORING how “sovereignty” (the power to make laws for a country and being able to enforce those laws) is key to understanding Te Tiriti and its implications.


    Before the Treaty


    Pre Treaty Activities

    • Find out what the students know about the history of Aotearoa New Zealand. Have them work in groups to come up with significant events in our history. 
    • Read through Comic SJSL_Te Tiriti 0 Waitangi-2ndEd.pdf
    • Work towards a class timeline of events. You may like to structure this in the same way as the story (before Te Tiriti, after Te Tiriti).
    • Explain that for hundreds of years, Aotearoa New Zealand was a solely Māori land. 
    • Work through Pre-Treaty Activities on GC.
    • Watch the He Whenua Rangatira video from the National Library of New Zealand He Tohu exhibition to give us a sense of the early migrations of hapū and iwi around the country: . 
    • Discuss the importance of the natural resources that were traded here and overseas.
    • Explain that in 1835, He Whakaputanga – the Declaration of Independence told the world that Aotearoa New Zealand was a Māori country and that rangatira were in charge.
    • Watch this He Tohu video that shows the voyages of Te Tiriti to find out whether it came to your region: .
    • complete sheet on the New Zealand History website: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/treaty/making-the-treaty/treaty-of-waitangi-signing-  locations. This website provides biographical information on each person who signed Te Tiriti. Encourage students with a personal connection to Te Tiriti to look for people from their hapū or iwi.