Our Special People, Our Special Places Topic Focus

Room 8 have been learning about local history, our people, and our places.  We are currently learning about Mokoia Island and the māori story of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai. We are learning about where they lived, and how land resources were special and useful at that time (looking at change over time also). Did you know that Hinemoa and Tūtānekai eventually moved to Tihiōtonga? This makes our area extra special to us! We will learn about how māori identify with their nearby land as a way of expressing identity, tribal affiliations, and making tribal links. This is usually done as an oral recitation called a "Pepeha" - We have a school Pepeha that we are learning, and by taking the children to view and explore these nearby special places (Tihiōtonga peak, Utuhina stream), we are giving them real context to support their learning. Below is a mixture of photos, videos, and bits of information about our current learning. We will keep you updated as we progress with our learning and experiences.

Some photos Whaea Callie took on Mokoia Island in 2014 and shared with Room 8. We discussed how the Island looks and where it is situated in the middle of Lake Rotorua. We looked at photos of 'Hinemoa's Pool' and learnt about the name of the pool - Waikimihia and what it means. We learnt about Lake Rotorua, and how Mokoia is in the middle of our lake. The children did a great job of retelling the story, and recalling information. Ka rawe!

This is Moko Ratana singing Pōkarakare Ana - the waiata (song) that tells of the love story between Hinemoa and Tūtānekai.

Our School Pepeha

One of the stories we have read and discussed in Room 8.