Rationale

This unit of work is designed to complement a history teaching programme at NCEA Level 3. It focuses specifically on the causes, consequences and explanations of the Māori Battalion’s involvement in World War Two as well debating the interpretations of these historical events. It also asks students to analyse changing trends over time, and the reasons for these trends. The video clips in Kia Mau, particularly those that relate to memory and the interpretation of events, should provoke high-level debate amongst students at Level 3.

Achievement objectives:

Achievement objective 8.1

Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:

• understand that the causes, consequences, and explanations of historical events that are of significance to New Zealanders are complex, and how and why they are contested.

Indicators:

• Categorises, with justification, historical events to explain their causes
• Categorises, with justification, historical events to explain their consequences
• Explains how interpretations of historical events are different and explains how and why these interpretations are contested by historians and other commentators
• Debates historical interpretations

Achievement objective 8.2

Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:

• understand how trends over time reflect social, economic, and political forces.

 Indicators:

• Explains how social, cultural, economic, and political forces produce trends over time
• Analyses social, cultural, economic, and political forces
• Identifies and explains the influence of trends over time
• Illustrates how trends have changed over time

Prior learning:

Students could have prior knowledge of:

• The origins of World War Two
• The New Zealand Expeditionary Force and its role in the allied war plans
• How historians interpret events from the past in different ways
• The ways waiata and haka are used in the Māori world (see links):

Taipari Munro and Pita Tipene describe a traditional ritual 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 (spirits) of our 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)

• The ways waiata, haka and tikanga have changed over time to adapt to new ways of remembering (see links):

Taipari Munro explains the influence of Christianity on Māori society in Te Taitokerau, and how/why Māori adapted traditional practices as a result

Te Keepa Stirling shares how soldiers used haka in battle. He compares traditional expressions of haka with haka performed for contemporary occasions

Indicators, lesson ideas and resource links

Assessment

Students could:

• Conduct an inquiry of an aspect of the Māori Battalion for their historical investigation (Achievement Standard 90654). To gain “Excellence” at Level 3, research needs to show “perception” in its focussing questions and “initiative” in the research process. An example of a perceptive student-generated question could be:

 “How do the different ways of remembering the deeds of the Māori Battalion, in oral and written forms, reflect not only the perspective of the author but also the intended audience?”

To show initiative, students must go above and beyond the confines of their school or institution. For example, oral interviews with local kaumātua (elders) or historians, using rare primary source material such as diaries or transcripts, and travelling in order to access hard-to-find resources such as monuments, graves, carvings and any whakapapa records.

• Communicate and present historical ideas about an aspect of the Māori Battalion (Achievement Standard 90655). Students could write an article for a magazine, create an electronic presentation or produce a pamphlet, brochure or poster. In particular students could relay historical ideas related to the Māori Battalion using traditional oral history mediums such as creating their own waiata or giving a formal address.

 Sample assessment: Level 3 history

Attached is a sample assessment activity based on Achievement Standard 90655 - “Communicate and present historical ideas clearly to show understanding of an historical context”:

Teaching and assessment links:

• NCEA Level 3 History - Internal and External Assessment Specifications
• Otago Area History Teachers’ Association web page - valuable material and thinking around the history curriculum guidelines. Apply for a password through the site administrator.