Maori content in PE curriculum?????

[BriarC]

HI all, I hope I'm not ignorant of the mainstream teaching culture expectations. I have just about completed my teaching degree and hope to score a pe job before the end of the year! :-)

during my practicums I was surprised that there was so little Maori content in pe teaching. I am hoping that it was just bad luck and put it down to luck of the draw with my placements. Some of my friends have told me that their schools were also similarly bereft of indiginous content also.
we did a hell of a lot of Treaty of waitangi theory and were told of the need to have an inclusive curriculum that involves traditional Maori input and local Maori communities involvement however is it me or do I see a huge chasm between the theory we are taught at training school and the actual implementations in mainstreem schools? Surely maori games, dance & activities are actively taught in some schools of NZ? If anyone knows of a traditional games expert or teaches Maori sports could you please share your experiences with us, I would also like to visit your school if it is anywhere near Hamilton to learn more about Maori sports implementing.

[vbadmin]

Kia ora,


Thank you for your message. You have made some interesting points and should get people thinking. You may know about the Te Ao Kori resources already but they would be really great in a wide range of learning contexts. http://www.tki.org.nz/r/hpe/exploring_te_ao_kori/index_e.php

Use the learning experineces link for some inspirational ideas:
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/hpe/exploring_te_ao_kori/experiences_e.php

If you have some other resources you would like to share with others, just post them here.

[BriarC]

Thanks Allison,
they are great resources. Unfortunately no one who I know on our practicums actually saw them being implemented although some of us did do basic Maori movement, but we were having to develop the basic movement lessons ourselves because the teachers at our placement schools had in most cases never attempted Te Reo Kori! I particularly was hoping to see the theory we learnt in action somewhere. You know really keen experienced teachers involved in a whole range of traditional Maori games, implementing whole units of theory & practice across all the year levels, and organising big comps of all types of sports and games of a traditional nature. We studied Elsdon Best book and he noted scores of sports just from one Iwi, however where are they all now? Its frustrating to me because, as a Pakeha I wanted to pickup some inclusive strategies and games for my mainstream teaching practice and be able to network and buildup my ability to facilitate Maori games through the curriculum. One of my friends did her practicum at a kura kaupapa and even there she says the traditional games were non-existent?

We were led to believe at training school that there are more Maori games than just Te Reo Kori type activities. Real team type games that can be organised into comps? Yet where is this actually being done?

Allison, you must be in the know in your position, if you could put me onto a school that is actively involved in teaching Maori games during class time, and implementing units on a genuine scale I would be very appreciative. Thanks very much.

[vbadmin]

Kia ora,


You could try contacting:

The Maori advisor at School Support Services at Waikato:
http://edlinked.soe.waikato.ac.nz/departments/index.php?dept_id=22 (http://edlinked.soe.waikato.ac.nz/departments/index.php?dept_id=22)

Sport Waikato have a sportsmart programme where they will come to you and plan your year's programme and then provide follow up training.
http://www.sportwaikato.org.nz/ (http://www.sportwaikato.org.nz/)

You could also go to the Maori Language Commission:
http://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/ (http://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/)

All the best

[BriarC]

Hi Allison,

I appreciate your suggestions and I have contacted the MAORI LANGUAGE COMMISSION, SPORT WAIKATO & WAIKATO SCHOOL SUPPORT SERVICES!

You guessed it, they have no idea where traditional Maori sports are taught and they don't promote or have anything to do with integrating traditional Maori sports into curriculum, or organise traditional Maori sports competitions within mainstream curriculum.

I am desperately wanting to be able to learn about any Maori games and sports schools. I feel that as a Pakeha teacher (to be :-) the knowledge and ability to utilise traditional Maori sports forms would create an inclusive teaching environment especially for Maori students and that such teaching would also assist non-Maori to appreciate the culture of our tangata whenua.

It seems to me and some of my friends who are also completing their teaching degree this year, that there is far more Maori games "pc" theory floating around than its actual implementation.

It seems to me that this is a serious failing of our education system, haven't the Americans started teaching some of our traditional ball games in several thousand of their schools!?

If no one knows of any Maori sports promoting schools at the agencies you suggested, then that is a major anomoly in our PE teaching practices and in our administrative educational centres.

Why is so much theoretic rhetoric then preached to us at training school if no one "out there" is doing it? And how come agencies like Sport Waikato which are located smack bang in the middle of Tainui country have no idea about traditional Maori sports educators or schools where they are taught?

I also plugged in quite a few Maori sports into the Maori Language Commission word finder on the web, and simple well known games like tapuae or tapu ae or is it tapu wai? anyway all those spellings and nothing, its not even in their data bank! How come even Maori agencies don't include their own traditional sports in their language data files?

This is a frustrating dilemma for me personally, and our classmates who wish to learn traditional games and to see them in action, actually being taught and integrated into curricula!?

[chrissye]

Hello BriarC,

I have taught for nearly 18 years. You could say I am institutionalised! I am touched by your dilemma and would like to contribute my tuppennies worth to this debate. I have taught in Wellington for 14 years and like you thought there would be a lot more traditional Maori sports “out there”.
Like you I was “trained” to believe that we would ideally teach Maori culture through our educative initiatives, so therefore if we are PE teachers then we would focus a lot of our efforts on teaching Maori culture, the culture of our tangata whenua afterall, through the games content of our curriculum. We were told that sports transport culture and to go out there and do it! Not much was actually demonstrated to us about how we could implement this. I have been to a few of the Te Reo Kori classes, but have not seen a comprehensive sports program implemented in any school I have taught in or visited in all my time teaching or in any professional development conferences/workshops!
I know that sports like waka ama and kapa haka are taught extensively, often however outside the teaching periods and as extra-curricula activities supported mainly by volunteers. The games situations you are hinting at, sportsfields games, of which much has been written about are as rare as hens teeth to see being practically taught, if at all?
In my early professional years I tried to work up a bit of enthusiasm with my colleagues and with other schools. I spoke to local Maori community members and tried to get their input into the curriculum I was teaching. Lots was promised, and traditional games demonstrations were promised by tangata whenua for my Maori students but nothing eventuated! Which was a shame. I have come to the conclusion that trying to inject a comprehensive band of maori sports into the curriculum is not worth the blood, sweat and tears because even where I was teaching the local Maori communities weren’t interested, let alone my teaching colleagues. I gave up after about 3 years. There just didn’t seem to be the experts out there to teach us and who want to do it. So I can understand your dilemma.
Remember also that different sports organisations and universities are really just trying to perpetuate the same old sports that I played when I was young, the same ones that my father & mother probably also played when they were young in England. Sports academies, schools, unis and other sports orgs are really just feeders for the sports that we have institutionalised into our society.Another words if NZ educationalists haven’t managed to integrate Maori sports into their curriculum on the scale that you thought would exist why should anyone else from another country bust their gut trying to do so, and therefore by doing so teach more traditional Maori values and culture via a sports waka.
Sports are institutionalised into our society. To effect change I would say is impossible in NZ because as teachers we are just foot soldiers for the government, mainstream sports organisations, for universities and clubs. It would take a hell of a lot more than just a few teachers to bring about the beneficial change you envisage, it would take an institutionalised change.
You sound really committed to wanting to teach culture via traditional Maori sports. All I can say is you will find it difficult to stick to your teaching philosophy, you will be swimming against the tide continually, there is massive resistance to Maori sports integrations in schools because all the people, the shareholders, who have interests in our “same old, same old” school sports like rugby, hockey, swimming, basketball, athletics etc will not like their player pool or influence diminished. Their also seems to be a common thought that Maori sports are not as valuable as European ones. But good luck! Sorry if I sound negative, you will have your work cutout!

[GNS]

Even amongst Maori schools there are very few opportunities for pursuing 'Maori sports'. But momentum is beginning to get this to change.

If at all practical 'Waka racing' (either waka ama or waka kopapa (even dragon boats) might be a first step for you to get students involved in a popular team sport with a definite Maori/Pacific background.

Ki-o-Rahi is gaining attention with exhibition games played in Northland, the Waikato and at least 2 schools I know of having organised play (not enough for a tournament but good enough for an inter-school exchange:)).
***Apparently a tournament is being played in Northland Schools (http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/localsport/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3686650&thesection=localsport&thesubsection=)

Try this for how to play (http://history-nz.org/kiorahi_rules.html)

Then there are some european sports with close Maori parallels. Myfavourite example being Petanque a similar game was played in pre-european times using flat stones (rather than metal balls) on a circular sand rink.

Others would be Kite flying, swimming, athletics, spinning top competitons*, archery and wrestling.

Handgames like Hei Tama Tu Tama also count as PE

Get hold of Elsdon Best Games and Pasttimes of the Maori (http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-BesMaor-c6-2-1.html) for more help too

* When the bey-blade fad was popular I was often reminded of the old spinning top battles we use to have

[te kiira]

kia ora Brair,
no hea koe? I think we may the school you are looking for. We are in the centre of Te Whanau-a-Apanui, the take you are talking about is us. It's what we do, and are developing.

The big challenge for us is finding support to extend and affirm our tikanga as it's expressed in our PE program. Like you say no one seems to know anything about it. So we are having to develop all our own teaching and assessing resources.

I am sorry about the experiences you and some of your correspondents have had, and all is not lost.

kia kaha koe.

na

Te Kiira

[katerina12]

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[BriarC]

Hi to everyone who has posted,

I really apprecaite the leads I was given and have taken on board the advice from the practicing teachers. I hqad the fortune to witness an amazing event in Thames recently from a tip-off from Nigel Elvidge from Sport Waikato. He has his fingers in many sports pies, including Maori sports events. He put me onto a visit from a Kerikeri student mentoring group called Ki-o-Rahi Akotanga Iho. I sat in amazement and watched gob smacked as they mentored Thames High staff & students on the game called ki-o-rahi. It was a fabulous experience because there were as many Maori as non-Maori all supporting each other in this kaupapa involving teaching the game, singing traditional songs and performing ki-o-rahi haka. There must have been 40 visitors from up in Kerikeri who travelled all that way to help another school learn about our own amazing traditional NZ ball game. Kids teaching kids! the game is passionatly driven by youth. I can see why they play the game in so many schools in america, it is a great game, fast and full of action and big hits. One for my teaching arsenal next year! thanks again everyone, please continue to post your traditional games experiences, I often checkin to see what news there is.

[lex]

Hi to everyone who has posted,

I really apprecaite the leads I was given and have taken on board the advice from the practicing teachers. I hqad the fortune to witness an amazing event in Thames recently from a tip-off from Nigel Elvidge from Sport Waikato. He has his fingers in many sports pies, including Maori sports events. He put me onto a visit from a Kerikeri student mentoring group called Ki-o-Rahi Akotanga Iho. I sat in amazement and watched gob smacked as they mentored Thames High staff & students on the game called ki-o-rahi. It was a fabulous experience because there were as many Maori as non-Maori all supporting each other in this kaupapa involving teaching the game, singing traditional songs and performing ki-o-rahi haka. There must have been 40 visitors from up in Kerikeri who travelled all that way to help another school learn about our own amazing traditional NZ ball game. Kids teaching kids! the game is passionatly driven by youth. I can see why they play the game in so many schools in america, it is a great game, fast and full of action and big hits. One for my teaching arsenal next year! thanks again everyone, please continue to post your traditional games experiences, I often checkin to see what news there is.

Greetings also Briar,

I too am in the teaching game although this year I am on leave. It has given

me a good chance to have a look around and like you my interest is on

including more traditional base material & resources into my practice. I have

been taken by the game of Ki o Rahi which is passionately being embraced by

students at a school in the north of NZ at Kerikeri Hgh School.

I attended a landmark indigenous tradittional games festival called Kahamai

Tuwharetoa over Waitangi. A big group of students from Kerikeri certainly

were an inspiration! it rekindled my desire to really approach traditional values

and taonga through Maori sports. Those students from Kerikeri have an

incredible aura about them, a mana & wairua that is hard to explain. Their

example has demonstrated to me the power and effectiveness of Maori sports

in education. The Kerikeri players took some terribly cheap shots but still

stuck to their values of playing competitively without resorting to the usual

crap we see in other full contact codes. Their example of play was an

inspiration to me and I hope those values dominate our future sports scene.

Best of luck in your future teaching direction, I know you will become a great

proponent of indigenous knowledges in our education system. I Have been told

that the Kaha Mai games will be held this year again, in Labour weekend,

which is a bonus, perhaps you will be able to attend also?

[raua]

wow I'm just blown away by the korero on Maori games, I had no idea there was such an interest in Maori games even so much of it being promoted and played.

I tend to look at the necessity for change in our physical Ed. approach because of the state of our wider community. Vilence especially seems to be bred out of our adherence to sports with "sick" cultures like rugby where its seen as alright to smash up an oppenent in the name of sport.

Maori games with their culture of including all abilities and not promoting violence and mayhem would seem like a valid option for change especially within a kiwi context.

Although I do not agree with everything in the following article I found, especially comparisons with police as gangs, I can certainly see the flip side to rugby as the author has described it and is worthy of reflection.

http://hubpages.com/hub/NZ_Rugby_Morally_Bereft

Has anyone got a Maori sports programme up and going in their school? I'm very interested in going down this avenue myself. I would also be interested about hearing of any research done into our violent sports practices and their effects on youth, particularly with regard to health, suicide and crime.

Regards to all, Raua (Rotorua)

[raua]

wow I'm just blown away by the korero on Maori games, I had no idea there was such an interest in Maori games even so much of it being promoted and played.


I tend to look at the necessity for change in our physical Ed. approach because of the state of our wider community. Vilence especially seems to be bred out of our adherence to sports with "sick" cultures like rugby where its seen as alright to smash up an oppenent in the name of sport.


Maori games with their culture of including all abilities and not promoting violence and mayhem would seem like a valid option for change especially within a kiwi context.


Although I do not agree with everything in the following article I found, especially comparisons with police as gangs, I can certainly see the flip side to rugby as the author has described it and is worthy of reflection.

http://hubpages.com/hub/NZ_Rugby_Morally_Bereft

Has anyone got a Maori sports programme up and going in their school? I'm very interested in going down this avenue myself. I would also be interested about hearing of any research done into our violent sports practices and their effects on youth, particularly with regard to health, suicide and crime.
Regards to all, Raua (Rotorua)

[Maybelline T.]

it is a revelation you know with our tauira right into ki-o-rahi. there is no stopping their enthusiasm! the only thing I don't understand is why we have to play off our school grounds? that has not been explained to my satisfaction. Anyhow our tamariki love to play and continue uplifting themselves with our ball games treasures. All of yous can do it if your children want to do it, give them the support.

[bridgette.sampson]

undefinedit is a revelation you know with our tauira right into ki-o-rahi. there is no stopping their enthusiasm! the only thing I don't understand is why we have to play off our school grounds? that has not been explained to my satisfaction. Anyhow our tamariki love to play and continue uplifting themselves with our ball games treasures. All of yous can do it if your children want to do it, give them the support.

I am actively involved with my students at Rodney College. I would really like to know more about ki-o-rahi. And does anyone remember playing Nga tapawai at school, I remember parts of the game, and feel our students would just love it! Brings back good memories for me, and its a team game.

[maryanne]

its all gogogo in manawatu with ki o rahi :)
lots of elders helping our young ones relearn their ki o rahi traditions. Its a great reconnection with some of the people nearby who remember the game played now as rahi and after the war it became ki o rahi. ;)
It was a real revelation to hear matua Sam talk about how the game was played nearby by our relationsat Otaki in early 50s :cool:
its actually a craze with kids talking about how radical ki o rahi is
Its refreshingto me that rugbyis not the only option for our kids now.Boys I feel were forced intorugby in the old days. :mad:

[morehu]

we hear about schools being dynamic institutes but whats changed in the past 20 years? seems to me schools still stick to the same regimen that is controlled and vetted by pakeha mainstream. where is change happening to assist unique maori sports values and forms of movement to be expressed in the curriculum? you have to buy experts in on maori movement, why? its skills should be taught to all PE teachers in training school, so why aren't they?