Te mana Atua

nā Tipene Watson

This narrative story is about a kuia seeing the many facets of our Atua Māori in her grandchildren in the various things they do and say around the home.

Ngā hononga ki te marautanga

Te Reo Māori i roto i te Marautanga o Aotearoa (wh 60, 68, 77, 86, 95, me 103)

Hei wānanga i te reo

The kīanga 'Ehara, ehara' means 'On the contrary'. It is a phrase that positively affirms an action or an opinion.

Hei mahi

1. Introduction to text: 'Who are the Māori Gods?' 'Ko wai ngā Atua Māori?'
   'What are they guardians of?' 'Ko rātou ngā kaitiaki o te aha?'
   Students can brainstorm and mind map ideas individually about the Atua Māori or they can discuss their ideas as a group.
2. In groups the students list the Atua and share 2-3 different characteristics about them and the domains that are ruled by them.
3. a. Give the students a brief outline of the story focussing on who the characters are in the story. 'Why did the kuia call her mokopuna Atua Māori?'
   'He aha rawa i kī ai te kuia he Atua Māori āna mokopuna?'
   'Did they look like Atua Māori?'
   'He Atua Māori nō ngā āhua o āna mokopuna?'
   'Was it something the children did?'
   'Nā ngā mahi rānei a ngā tamariki?'
   'Was it something the children said?'
   'Nā ngā kōrero rānei a ngā tamariki?'
   e. The students read each page independently. Stop after each page for discussion. Before reading each page, ask the students to search for clues in the actions, the words, and the physical characteristics of the mokopuna that made the kuia refer to them as that Atua.
   h. Students will use all the information collated from the discussions during reading to make inferences about what the kuia might say when she referred to each of them as Atua Māori.
4. Children will write a character description of the kuia in the story. Students will reread the story to locate and retrieve information about the kuia from the text. Students will write ideas onto a mind map about the kuia under the titles: Te āhua ā-tinana, āna mahi, āna kōrero me tōna ake wairua. Provide samples of mind maps for students.
5. a. In small groups the students identify who is in the foreground and background of one illustration from the story Te mana Atua.
   e. The students choose a photo of a person from a magazine or newspaper. This is placed in the foreground of a blank page. By looking at the expression of the person they decide which Atua is the most appropriate. The Atua is then drawn in the background.
6. The students make a collage picture. The photo of the person is in the foreground. A drawing of the Atua is in the background. Add a picture of the kuia. The students add a speech bubble explaining the similarities between the Atua and the person.

Aromatawai

The students will be able to retell the story in a logical sequence.

The students will write a character description.

The students will locate and retrieve information from a text to support own ideas.

The students are able to identify the foreground and background of a picture.

He hononga ki tētahi atu He Kohikohinga

'Tāwhirimātea' He Kohikohinga 42

'He aha te wairua?' He Kohikohinga 30

He hononga ki tētahi atu marautanga

Hauora i roto i te Marautanga o Aotearoa

He tauira (wh. 32)

Ka taea e te ākonga te whai tonu ngā mahi whakapakari tinana pārekareka ki a ia, me te whakaaro nui ki tōna wairua, tōna hinengaro me te tinana.

The students will be able to identify unique characteristics about themselves and others.

Ki runga ^