Rationale:

This unit of work is designed to complement a history teaching programme at NCEA Level 2. It focuses specifically on the forces and movements that drove Māori to sign up, participate and sacrifice so readily in World War Two. It also asks students to compare the interpretations of different people (including contemporary historians) and groups in history, in relation to the Battalion. The resources in Kia Mau make an ideal accompaniment to these ideas.

Achievement Objectives:

Achievement Objective 7.1

Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:

• understand how historical forces and movements have influenced the causes and consequences of events of significance to New Zealanders

 Indicators:

• Identifies and explains the force that influenced a movement
• Makes links between a force and multiple contexts, for example, nationalism in South Africa compared with New Zealand, Australia, and the US
• Describes how a movement influenced past events
• Identifies how a force has influenced the causes of past events
• Identifies how a force has influenced the consequences of past events

Achievement objective 7.2

Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:

• Understand how people’s interpretations of events that are of significance to New Zealanders differ

Indicators:

• Identifies and describes differing interpretations of an event
• Describes how different perspectives led to different interpretations of an event
• Describes and explains different interpretations, held by a range of people over time, of past events that are of significance to New Zealanders. (The range of people could include participants, contemporaries, historians, descendants, observers, and people today.)

Prior learning:

Students could have prior knowledge of:

• Major forces and movements in history, particularly those related to World War Two
• The origins of World War Two
• The New Zealand Expeditionary Force and its role in the allied war plans
• The way waiata and haka are used in the Māori world (see links):

Taipari Munro and Pita Tipene describe a traditional ritual (te tohi) performed on soldiers from Te Taitokerau, prior to their going into battle

Te Keepa Stirling shares his ideas about haka and how students can use the wairua (spirit) of their forebears to empower their performance

Tama Huata explains why Paraire Tomoana wrote E Pari Rā and why it is performed as a waiata poroporoaki (farewell)

Indicators, lesson ideas and resource links

Assessment

Students could:

• Complete an internally assessed perspectives task (Achievement Standard 90468), describing and explaining the views of three figures and their views of the Māori Battalion. Examples could include the perspectives of: a soldier in the battalion; a New Zealand general (for example Freyberg); a German general (for example Rommel); Sir Apirana Ngata; a conscientious objector from the Māori community; contemporary politicians such as Phil Goff; Prince Andrew (who gave taonga on behalf of the Crown to honour Haane Manahi in 2007); historians such as Paul Moon and Monty Soutar; whānau members, for example widows and descendants.
• Plan and carry out an historical inquiry (Achievement Standard 90465) on an aspect of the Māori Battalion and their involvement in World War Two. Topics could include researching a specific event, battle, person or company. In particular, students should incorporate research that includes the way the Māori Battalion is remembered through waiata and haka.

Sample assessment: Level 2 history

Attached is a sample assessment activity based on Achievement Standard 90465 - “Plan and carry out an historical inquiry”:

Teaching and assessment links:

• NCEA Level 2 History - Internal and External Assessment Specifications:
• Social Sciences Online - History Teaching and Learning Guidelines:
• Otago Area History Teachers’ Association web page - valuable material and thinking around the History curriculum guidelines. Apply for a password through the site administrator.