Some Place!

Social Studies Online

Mangere Mountain and its surrounding volcanic field is a significant place for a many people. The Tangata Whenua - the Wai O Hua, the Manukau City Council, DOC and other organisations have plans for "interpreting" the mountain for the general public. They want to make the volcanic and human history of the mountain accessible for threatening to everyone and at the same time protect important heritage features.

But there are other people who do not consider the mountain and its surrounding volcanic field to be a significant place. Some city councillors and letter-to-the-editor writers object to ratepayers' money being wasted on protecting a Maori pa site.

Then there are those believe that the scoria from the volcanic cone should be quarried, just as it has been on other Auckland volcanoes, for building foundations and roads.

1. Identify the people who may have differing values positions (points of view, perspectives) about protecting Mangere Mountain and its surrounding volcanic field.

   (Possible interested groups/individuals could include:
   Maori/Tangata Whenua; walkers and their dogs; mountain bikers; the farmer whose cows graze the slopes; kids who play on the mountain; people from other parts of the city; ratepayers; local people; local school(s); Police; historians & archaeologists; road construction firms; the Soccer/Softball Club; city councillors; DOC; ARC...)

2. EITHER interview representatives of three of these groups;
   OR identify what their views might be about developing and protecting the mountain in the future from news items, letters to the editor, pamphlets, Web sites and so on.

3. Explain why people might hold differing values positions about developing and protecting the mountain and its surrounding volcanic field.

   (eg. cultural background; beliefs; interests; knowledge about the historical features; financial concerns; "ownership"...)

4. Compare the views of three different groups.

   (eg. students (individually or in small groups) adopt one group's perspective and place themselves on a continuum ranging from very important to preserve heritage features to heritage features shouldn't get in the way of progress. Groups from different points on the continuum get together and explain their points of view and why they hold them to each other.)

5. Examine the possible consequences of interested groups holding different values positions about the future development and protection of Mangere Mountain and its surrounding volcanic field.