Lesson video

Hi everyone.

It's me, Ms. Chu, and I'm going to be taking you on today's learning journey.

In today's lesson, we're going to be learning about the context of "Whale Rider".

The Whale Rider story holds significant cultural importance for the Maori people because it emphasises the connection between Maori people and their ancestors.

So when you are ready, let's get started.

Today's lesson outcome is, I can understand the context of "Whale Rider".

Here are the key words for today's lesson.

I'm going to give you a moment just to read through them and their definitions.

Brilliant.

Today's lesson outline is learning about Maori culture and then learning the plot of Whale Rider.

So let's start learning about Maori culture.

Firstly, Maori people live in New Zealand.

They were the first people to live in New Zealand, and they settled there over 700 years ago.

The estimated population of New Zealand is approximately 5 million people.

This population is distributed across the country's two main islands, the north island and the south island.

There you can see them on that map there.

New Zealand is known for its stunning landscapes, range of ecosystems, and unique wildlife.

New Zealand has a diverse cultural heritage with influences from Maori, European, Pacific Island, and Asian cultures.

Maori culture is important in New Zealand's national identity.

True or false? Maori people settled in the United Kingdom.

Is this true or is this false? Pause the video and have a think what the answer could be.

Well, shall we see? Well, of course, this is false.

Maori people settled in New Zealand over 700 years ago, or Maori people never settled in New Zealand.

What do you think? Yes, that's right.

Maori people settled in New Zealand over 700 years ago.

The Maori language is really important and a huge part of culture.

It is taught in schools and used in various aspects of everyday life.

The word Maori means normal or ordinary.

A Maori word of importance is whakapapa, your turn.

Whakapapa, good job.

Whakapapa is all about family connections between people and their ancestors.

Whakapapa is passed down orally through storytelling songs and chants.

It plays a central role in Maori identity and culture.

What do Maori people pass down in Whakapapa? Is it chants, clothes, emails, or storytelling? Remember, there could be more than one answer here.

Pause the video and have a go.

Okay.

Shall we have a look to see what the answers are? Firstly, they pass down their chants through songs, and secondly, they pass down their stories through storytelling.

Well done if you got that right.

Tikanga refers to Maori customs and values that guide their behaviour within Maori society.

This includes rituals for welcoming guests, pohwhiri, ceremonies in the marae and traditional practises such as the war dance, haka and prayers, karakia.

Maori people are renowned for their artistic expression, including carving, whakairo, weaving, raranga, and tattooing, ta moko.

Their art often incorporates symbolic designs and patterns that convey spiritual and cultural meanings.

Maori have a strong spiritual connection to the land and environment.

They view themselves as guardians of the planet.

They're here to protect and preserve it.

Maori people believe that everything in the world is interconnected through whakapapa.

True or false, Maori people have a strong connection to the environment and the world around them.

Hmm, wonder if you were listening, I did just say.

Pause the video and have a go, the answer is true, well done.

Maori people do not believe that everything in the world is interconnected through whakapapa, or Maori people believe that everything in the world is interconnected through Whakapapa.

The answer is B.

They do believe that everything in the world is interconnected through Whakapapa.

We are now onto task A.

I would like you to draw your own interpretation of Maori art.

Here is a design that I found that you can base yours on.

In Maori art, they would choose an animal and then they would think of two or three repeating patterns, and that's what I'd like you to do in your little rectangle there, think of an animal and then just draw an outline of it.

And then within the animal, I'd like you to think of either drawing lines or dashes or dots.

Good luck, and enjoy.

Okay, which animal did you choose? Did you go for a more traditional Maori animal like a whale? Or did you go with an animal that's more familiar to you, like perhaps a dog or a cat? And did you manage to use repeating patterns? Did you use lines, dashes, dots, circles, swirls? You could have maybe used a shape that you are familiar with, like a 2D shape, triangles, rectangles, and squares.

I hope you did enjoy that.

We are now onto the second part of the lesson.

We are going to learn the plot of Whale Rider.

"Whale Rider" is a novel by Witi Ihimaera that has been adapted into a film.

It is the story of a young Maori girl named Paikea.

Can you say Paikea? Great.

Who struggles to fulfil her destiny as the leader of her people, and you'll find out why later.

The story is set in a small coastal village in New Zealand.

The Maori community believes in the legend of Paikea.

According to this legend, Paikea rode on the back of a whale to lead their people to the land.

True or false? According to the legend, Paikea rode on the back of a dolphin.

Hmm, was it a dolphin or was it a.

? Hmm, pause the video and have a go.

So the answer is false.

Yes, because Paikea rides on the back of a whale that leads her people to land, or Paikea does not ride on the back of any animal.

According to the legend, yes, according to the legend, Paikea rides on the back of a whale.

So let's learn about the plot now.

First, Paikea is born into the chief's line of a tribe.

She's a twin, but her brother, who was meant to be the future chief dies at childbirth along with their mother.

Her grandfather, Koro, is the current chief.

He is devastated and struggles to accept Paikea as heir due to his traditional belief that the leader of the tribe should be male.

Who's the current chief of the tribe at the moment? Is it Paikea's Father, Paikea's grandmother, or Paikea's grandfather? Pause the video and have a go at this question.

Okay, so the answer is Paikea's grandfather, do you remember the name of Paikea's grandfather? Koro, you are right, Koro.

Actually that means grandfather in Maori.

Let's continue to learn about the plot.

As Paikea grows up, she feels a really deep connection to her cultural heritage.

She secretly learns the traditional skills and knowledge to be a male leader.

She does this even though her grandfather disapproves that means doesn't agree with it.

Koro organises a school for young boys to find a suitable successor, that means someone that will take over him as a chief, but none of them possess the right qualities to be a chief.

True or false? Paikea wants to be the next successor.

Pause the video and have a think back to when I spoke about what she did and think about whether this is true or false.

So the answer is true.

That's right.

She secretly learns the traditional skills and knowledge to be a male leader, or she forces her grandfather to teach her the skills and knowledge to be a male leader.

Well, yes, we learn that she secretly does this behind his back.

So let's continue to learn about the plot.

Paikea's demonstrations of leadership go unnoticed by her grandfather until the community faces a crisis, something happens.

And what happens? A pot of whales become stranded on the beach.

The tribe's efforts to save them fail even though they try really hard, they can't save the whales, and it is Paikea who in the end manages to connect with them and communicate with the whales, and that leads her to become the whale rider herself.

What significant event happens to a pod of whales in the story? Do they become stranded on a beach? Do they get caught in a fisherman's net or do they migrate to other seas? Pause the video and have a think about what the answer could be.

Okay, so the answer is they become stranded on a beach.

Well done.

Let's continue to learn about the plot.

She rides on one of the whales, the lead whale out to sea, and the village people and Koro witness her doing this, and this demonstrates her rightful place as the leader.

Paikea's connection to the whales finally opens Koro's eyes, he recognises her as the leader and his successor.

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Whale Rider is a powerful story, and its main theme is courage.

Here is a possible answer.

I agree that the main theme of whale rider is courage and then giving a reason.

Paikea has to find the courage.

She's brave to break with tradition.

So their tradition is that only boys or only males can become leaders of their tribe, but she breaks the tradition to educate and empower herself and finally use her courage to save the whales.

I want you to have a go now at saying whether you disagree, whoop, or agree with the statement, and tell me why.

Pause the video and have a go.

Okay.

We are now onto task B.

I would like you to cut out each key moment of the story and place it on a story structure.

Let's just quickly read each key moment now.

As Paikea grows up, she feels a deep connection to the history and culture of the place she lives.

Paikea is born into the chief's line of the tribe, but her twin and mother die during birth.

She secretly learns the traditional skills and knowledge to be a male leader.

Paikea rides one of the whales out to sea demonstrating her rightful place as the leader, Paikea's demonstrations of leadership go unnoticed by her father.

And finally, the community faces a crisis when a pot of whales becomes stranded on the beach.

Pause the video and have a go at ordering this on the story structure.

Okay, let's now have a quick look at each key moment on the story structure.

So the story structure is made of an opening, build-up, climax, and resolution.

Let's just focus on the opening and build-up for now.

In the opening, Paikea is born into the Chief's line of the tribe, but her twin and mother die during birth.

In the buildup, as Paikea grows up, she feels a deep connection to the history and culture of the place she lives.

Then she secretly learns the traditional skills and knowledge to be a male leader.

Paikea's demonstrations of leadership go unnoticed by her grandfather, Koro.

Now, let's look at the climax and the resolution.

In the climax, the community faces a crisis when a pod of whales becomes stranded on the beach and in the resolution, Paikea rides one of the whales out to sea demonstrating her rightful place as the leader.

So we are at the end.

To summarise, Maori people were the first people to settle in New Zealand.

Maori culture and tradition play a significant role in national identity.

Maori people have a strong spiritual connection to the land and environment.

"Whale Rider" is a novel by Witi Ihimaera that has been adapted into a film.

The themes of courage and breaking down barriers are threaded throughout the film, "Whale Rider" I hope you enjoy learning this lesson with me.