Our term 3 project is exploring the idea that kaitiakitanga is an important concept for us to understand and that we are all kaitiaki of the past (guardians of the past).

Rooms 5 and 6 have been on a voyage of discovery about the technology and innovation that brought people to Aotearoa. Polynesian navigators on mighty waka crossed the Pacific Ocean, guided only by their kinship to the natural world. Armed with their ancestral knowledge and a larger vision of science - mātauranga - they created our land of voyagers.

These extraordinary engineers, scientists, and mathematicians created the paving stones upon which we stand today. 

We examined the untold story of Polynesian discovery, how Kupe knew there was a large land mass (Aotearoa) in the southern Pacific region, how they found their way, who was Tupaia and what their arrival was like.

We've discussed myths, created graphic organisers for our ideas, mapped out on our ancestors, discussed what pushes people to head overswas and what pulls them to their destinations. We've mapped out the journey from students' homes to Tahuna, explored ocean currents, made our own compasses and built waka horua.

We are excited to see what comes next for our project as we explore how we are kaitiaki (guardians of the past).