Questions/instructions:
This activity uses the computer.
You are going to hear a legend about Rona and the moon. After you have heard the legend,
you are going to write it in your own words.
Click the Rona button.
VIDEO SCRIPT:
(Gavin Bishop (2004) “Rona”, In Taming the Sun – Four Mäori Myths; Random House, Auckland, New Zealand)
[Click to enlarge image.]
In this activity you will be watching a video of a legend called Rona. Rona is a story with a moral or lesson to it.
Listen carefully because when the legend has finished you will write it in your own words. |
(Rona and her husband)
Auë, that Rona was lazy! Her husband spoiled her. “Get me some water,” she would cry. “Cook me some kumara.”
“Ae, kare,” he would say. “Yes, dear.”
One morning Rona said to her husband, “I feel like a big fish for supper.”
“I’ll get you one, kare,” he said. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”
“Ka pai,” said Rona. “ Take all day if you like. I’ve got some sleep to catch up on.”
(Rona watching husband at sea)
Rona sat on the beach and watched her husband paddle his canoe out to sea. She rolled out a whäriki and stretched out in the warm sun. Soon she was fast asleep. She slept all day, until the sun went down.
(Rona awake and under the moon)
When she awoke, she was thirsty. She lifted her gourd to have a drink of water.
“Aue,” she cried. “This thing’s empty! Where’s that husband of mine? I’m hungry, and I need a drink of water.” She called out to her husband but he did not answer. “ Pai Kare. I’ll have to get some water myself.”
(Rona walking past a tree)
She picked up the gourd and walked down to the creek.
Te Marama, the moon, sailed overhead and lit her way.
But suddenly, Te Marama went behind a cloud. Rona could not see where she was going. She tripped, twisting her ankle and bumping her knee. Rona was angry. She looked up at the sky and cried out to the moon. “Pokoköhua!” she screamed. “You old cooked head!”
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(Rona in the tree)
Te Marama stopped. He looked down. He said, “Are you speaking to me?”
“Yes, I am! Look what you made me do!” screamed Rona.
“How dare you call me such a disgusting name!”
said Te Marama.
Then, without saying another word, the moon zoomed towards the earth and caught hold of Rona. She quickly grabbed the branch of a nearby tree, but the moon was too strong. The tree came out by the roots, and Rona was pulled up into the sky.
(Rona’s husband seeking Rona)
When Rona’s husband returned with a fish that almost filled his waka, he could not find his wife. He looked inside their whare. He looked in the bush. He looked by the creek. He went to the beach. Then he looked up at Te Marama.
(Rona in the moon)
There he saw his wife looking down at him. “Come and see the big fish I’ve caught for you,” he called.
But Rona only looked sadly down and said nothing.
To this day, when there is a full moon you will see Rona. She stands on the moon’s face with the gourd in her hand. She looks down still holding the ngaio tree.
When arguments start and insults begin to fly, people still say, “Kia mahara ki te hë o Rona.” Remember Rona’s mistake. |
| Now you can write Rona in your own words so that someone who does not know this legend will understand what happens.
Use the picture card from the legend to help you. |
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Now I want you to write the legend in your own words. You can use the pictures to help you.
Remember to include what the lesson of the story was.
Hand out a picture and an individual answer sheet to each student.
[Picture card, as above, shows selection of images from video.]
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Elements included in retold story: |
• Rona lazy
• husband obliging
• Rona sent husband to get food/fish
• husband off out to sea
• Rona slept all day
• Rona woke, wanted drink
• Rona called for husband to provide
• Rona went to get water from creek
• moon went behind cloud
• Rona tripped, hurt herself
• Rona yelled rudely at moon
• moon grabbed Rona
• Rona held onto tree
• moon pulled Rona and tree up to moon
• husband came back, saw Rona and tree on moon |
all 15 |
5 |
