The Pūkeko Hub have been exploring Māori Pūrākau and learning how to retell them through their writing.

Over the past two weeks, students have been developing their retell writing skills by exploring the rich tradition of Māori Pūrākau. They focused on retelling How Māui Slowed the Sun and How Māui Found His Father and the Magic Jawbone.

To begin, students carefully planned and mapped out their ideas, ensuring their retelling writing followed a clear structure that stayed true to the Pūrākau.

With their ideas organised, the tamariki launched into the writing process with creativity and enthusiasm. They worked on crafting vivid descriptions and using emotive language to bring their writing to life—making it more engaging, powerful, and meaningful for the reader.

By creating these retell writing pieces, students deepened their understanding of Māori culture and the key themes woven into these Pūrākau—courage, determination, and resourcefulness.

The tamariki thoroughly enjoyed the experience and produced some fantastic mahi!