Tamatea Pōkai Whenua
He whakarāpopoto
This poem describes Tamatea Pōkai Whenua's ascent up a hill to express his grief. His actions have been immortalised forever in the longest placename in Aotearoa.
He whāinga ako
To express emotion in the form of a poem.
He whatu pānui
Hei tautoko i te kaipānui
- Discuss the use of rhythm to make the poem easier to read.
- Link the poem back to the story to help the students to understand the poem.
Kia mataara!
- Because this poem does not always use complete sentences, the students will need to be encouraged to use the skill of inference.
- Discuss the less common words with the students to help them understand the text.
He kete kupu
| hauangi | cool |
| pāmamae | grief |
| taumata | the brow of the hill |
Hei wānanga i te reo
Discuss the use of the passive 'kawea' in the text.
Hei whakaihiihi
- Look at the illustration. Find out why the students think Tamatea Pōkai Whenua is crying.
- Get students to answer the question, "How do we express grief?"
Hei whakatā
- Read the poem in a group. Read aloud, getting the students to put emphasis on the words that they think are important.
- Identify and list words according to movement and emotion.
Hei wānanga
- Listen to the waiata – 'He Kui Kūmara' by Whirimako Black on the CD Shrouded In The Mist. Note the use of breath. Create a soundscape concentrating on breath to dramatise this poem.
Hei mahi
- Discuss the role that Tāwhirimātea has in this poem.
- Discuss other legends that express love and loss.
He whakapuaki māramatanga
- He aha te tino kaupapa o te whiti? (Te whakaatu i te hōhonutanga o ngā kare ā-roto o Tamatea Pōkai Whenua.)
- He aha i piki ai a Tamatea Pōkai Whenua i te puke? (Ki te tangi.)
- He aha tētahi atu kupu mō 'whakahā'? (Pupuhi.)
- Whakamārama mai te kupu 'hauangi'. (He hau iti, he hau makariri.)
- Ki ōu whakaaro, he aha ngā rerekētanga o te whakaputa kare ā-roto mō te whanaunga ki te whakaputa kare ā-roto mō te whaiāipo? (Ka rerekē ngā whakautu.)
