National Anthem
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Approach:  One to one
ACCESS
Level: Year 4 and year 8
Focus: Responding to cultural diversity  
Resources:
Audio recording on laptop computer, card
193Kb
Questions/instructions:  

This activity uses the computer.
You are going to hear the
New Zealand national anthem.
Click the National Anthem button.
[Student choir singing first verse only, in combination of Mäori and English versions.]

The New Zealand national anthem you just heard was sung in both Mäori and English.

voice-over:
E Ihowä Atua,
O ngä iwi mätou rä,
Äta whakarangona;

Me aroha noa.
Guard Pacific’s triple star,
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.
   
 
% responses
2009 ('05)
y4
y8
1. Do you think that the National Anthem should always be sung in these two languages?    
  yes 90 (91) 96 (99)
no 10 (9) 4 (1)
2. Why do you say that?      
Explanation for “yes”: relating to thebicultural nature of New Zealand society 41 (39) 72 (72)
Explanation for “no”: suggesting choice of language depending on who is present 4 (2) 3 (1)
argument for always using only English or Mäori 4 (5) 3 (1)
weak or no response 51 (54) 22 (26)
    
Strength of justification: strong 8 (10) 27 (31)
    
moderate 32 (28) 44 (40)
    
weak 60 (62) 29 (29)    

Here are some languages people speak.
I’ll read them to you.
Hand student the card and read it.

3. Do you think that the New Zealand national anthem should also be sung in any of these languages?
• Korean
• Tongan
• French
• Spanish
   
   
  yes, one or more of the languages
 30 (25) 11 (8)
4. Why do you say that? no 70 (75) 89 (92)
Quality of reasoning: (e.g. “yes”, because lots of people in
New Zealand speak these languages or
“no”, because most people just speak
English or Mäori and these languages
reflect New Zealand history better) good 		16 (20) 39 (41)
limited
67 (61) 57 (51)
no reasoning 17 (19) 4 (8)
5. When might you hear the national anthem being sung?    
school (e.g. assembly) 64 (58) 68 (58)
sporting occasions, such as test matches 60 (83) 87 (89)
community events (e.g. meetings, concerts, visits by important people, tangi) 35 (25) 39 (35)
special annual occasions, such as Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day 6 (6) 11 (13)
6. Why do you think we have a national anthem?    
Aspects mentioned: [• for New Zealanders -to share identity/pride
• for other people - to recognise New Zealand
events or achievements]
presented both aspects well
1 (0) 2 (4)
presented one aspect well and the other vaguely
2 (0) 3 (3)
presented one aspect well
14 (12) 29 (17)
presented both aspects vaguely
3 (4) 7 (4)
presented one aspect vaguely 37 (42) 43 (42)
 
Total score:
 7–9
1 (1) 11 (9)
5–6
11 (9) 25 (22)
4
10 (13) 20 (16)
3
18 (19) 20 (21)
2
26 (24)
17 (17)
0–1 34 (34) 7 (15)
Subgroup Analysis [Click on charts to enlarge] :
Year 4
Year 8
Commentary:
Very high proportions of both year 4 and year 8 students felt that the national anthem should be sung in both English and Mäori, with more year 8 than year 4 students being able to articulate well the bicultural nature of New Zealand society as a reason. There were only slight differences between the year levels in identifying where one might hear the national anthem, with school and sporting occasions being the most common. However, students at both year 4 and 8 could not explain well why we have a national anthem. There was no meaningful change in this pattern from 2005 to 2009.