Atuatanga
This series of resources from Rangitāne o Wairarapa Education were written by Joseph Potangaroa and designed by Mikis van Geffen. The resources can be accessed online and also downloaded as printable PDF booklets. Click on the link above to visit the website where you can explore the resources.
These place-based resources are connected with the Wairarapa area, but the concepts and mātauranga can be used as a starting point for connection and learning across Aotearoa.
Topics include:
Introduction to Atuatanga
Wai Water (and freshwater fish)
Rocky Shore
Ngā Manu Birds
Ngarara Insects and Pungawerewere Spiders
Animals: Bats, Tuatara and others
Ngā Rakau Trees (and an extra booklet about interesting trees and plants)
Plants and Vegetables, and Hua Berries
Placenames inspired by nature
Waiata Music
Tākaro Play
From the website:
This resource is designed to provide us with opportunities to become more grounded, to get closer to Papatuanuku. As babies we start off with an amazing awareness of what is around us but over time our lifestyles, society and those that influence our thinking take our bodies, spirit and minds away from nature.
Atuatanga gives us a way of recapturing what is hardwired in each one of us as a species but has been tucked away sleeping. Becoming grounded does not mean that we have to abandon anything else it just creates balance and a realisation that we humans are not the centre of the world and in reality we need the earth but she does not need us.
Māori culture emerged from interactions with the atua so this resource could be used as a foundation from which to branch off into learning te reo, history or many other subjects that are important to the culture.
Click on the button link above to visit the website and explore the resources.
