In Year 4, as the final learning experience for our unit on ancient navigation (Where We Are in Place and Time), the students decided they wanted to have a go at recreating the ancient waka hourua used by early Māori navigators when they explored the Pacific ocean. We decided the criteria for our Waka Hourua would be that it was made entirely from natural materials, just as the early Māori used, that it had twin hulls, could stay afloat, and did not tip to one side once in the water.

Harakeke (Flax) was one of the main materials for our Waka Hourua. We had to learn all about the tikanga (correct protocol) involved with taking the harakeke from the plant and observed this carefully before we began. We learnt that the harakeke was seen as whanau by the Māori people and that it needed to be cut in a very special way in order to preserve the life of the plant and show respect. The Māori people used the following whakatauki to describe the tikanga of harakeke.

“Hutia te rito te harakeke, Kei whea te kōmako e kō?”

“If the heart of the harakeke was removed, where would the bellbird sing?”

We carefully observed all protocols and then had a go at constructing our own Waka Hourua. It was full of problem solving, trial and error and new learning as we wove ropes, built hulls and created sails. We were all delighted that every waka in the class passed the “float” test and not a single piece of plastic or polystyrene was used to create our sustainable masterpieces.

“Tino pai, tu meke Year 4!”