:Meeting House
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Approach: One to one Level: Year 4 and year 8
Focus:   Students can name and explain the meaning or significance of structures ina traditional Mäori meeting house. 
Resources:  4 pictures: meeting house, poutokomanawa, kowhaiwhai, tukutuku.
3.1Mb
Questions/instructions:

Show picture 1.

This is a picture of the meeting house, called Tükaki, on the East Coast.

You can see that it has many interesting parts.

We’ll look at some of the parts inside of the house, and I’ll ask you to tell me what you know about them.

 
% responses
y4
y8
Show picture 2: Poutokomanawa

This picture shows an important part inside the meeting house.
   
1. Do you know what this part is called?

named the part “poutokomanawa”

0
0
named the part “a carving”
18
18
2. What do you think this is made from?
identified material as wood
95
98
3. Why is this an important part of this meeting house?
represents ancestors
(and their importance to the community)
16
36
welcomes guests entering the house
3
7
the heart of the meeting house
1
1
central support/post of the house
3
12
Show picture 3: Kowhaiwhai

This picture shows another part of the meeting house.
  		   
4. Do you know what this is called?
named the part “kowhaiwhai”
1
2
named the part “heke”
3
11
5. What do you think this is made from?
paint/dyes
26
35
wood
82
92
6. Why is this an important part of this meeting house?
genealogy, descent, whakapapa
3
11
ribs of ancestors
13
20
tells a story
1
12
Show picture 4: Tukutuku

This picture shows another part of the meeting house.
   
7. Do you know what this is called?
named the part “tukutuku”

2

2
named the part “a (woven) wall panel”
3
5
named the part “pakiwaitara” (story board)
1
1
8. What do you think this is made from?
traditional materials
(e.g. pingao/sand/sedge, harakeke/flax)
23
55
modern alternative materials
(e.g. wool, leather, plastic, raffia, string)
22
20
9. Why is this an important part of this meeting house?
balances the efforts/contributions of woman and man
0
4
traditionally symbolises working together/relationships
0
1
balances/separates carvings
0
1
embellishment/sign of the industriousness of makers
0
0
tells a story
7
12
Commentary:
Year 4 and year 8 students generally performed similarly on this task. Few were able to name and explain the meaning or significance of some of the main structures in the traditional Mäori meeting house. 
 
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