School resources

The Tribunal has produced a number of resource kits for use in primary and secondary schools. Although most were first published some years ago, they have been reviewed and can still be used effectively within the social-studies syllabus.

Treaty of Waitangi

This resource kit is available in English and Māori. It looks at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, placing it within the context of New Zealand society at the time, and examines what the Treaty means today. The kit was written for primary-school pupils to fit within the social-studies curriculum, but it will be useful for all Māori-language students.

The Waitangi Tribunal and the Kaituna River claim

The Kaituna River claim concerned the pollution of waterways in Rotorua. The kit takes the form of a role-playing exercise, where pupils assume the role of the Waitangi Tribunal and decide how to resolve the claim. While this resource is aimed at year 10 pupils, it has been used successfully at all secondary-school levels.

The Waitangi Tribunal and the Motunui–Waitara claim

The Motunui–Waitara claim concerned the pollution of coastal reefs in Taranaki. This resource kit emphasises the importance of cultural perceptions and the respecting of cultural differences. Written for the senior geography syllabus, the kit is also suitable for pupils undertaking legal studies, history, Māori studies, science, and social studies.

Te Roroa

The Te Roroa claim was very controversial because it involved private land. This resource kit provides an insight into the claim and describes the significance of wāhi tapu (sacred sites), how the land changed hands, and the present-day consequences of those transactions. The kit was designed for pupils in years 9 to 11 undertaking social studies, geography, history, legal studies, and Māori studies.

Ōrākei

The Ōrākei resource kit details the land claim of Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei and emphasises the steady erosion of the iwi’s land and economic resources by the Crown, which culminated in the Bastion Point land occupation of 1978. The kit helps students to understand what tribal land ownership means to Māori people and was written for the year 10 social-studies syllabus. However, it is also suitable for use in senior history, geography, legal studies, and cultural studies courses.

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