Sustainable seas - essential for NZ`s health and wealth →

We are an island nation with very close ties to the marine environment. Our marine estate (New Zealand's exclusive economic zone or EEZ) is 20 times larger than our land mass. Seventy-five percent of us live within 10 km of the sea. We value the sea for its resources such as fisheries, tourism, oil and gas and shipping. We also value the sea for food, recreation and spiritual well-being. Māori have long standing ancestral and other connections with the sea.
There is a growing conflict between these many uses of our marine environment. How can we manage these many uses? How can we meet the needs of Māori, local communities, and industry? How do we make sure that our seas are understood, cared for, and used wisely now and in the future?

My Place, by Janice Marriott→

Jeromie and Jelintha have come to a New Zealand city from rural Papua New Guinea. Ryan lives on a farm that his family has owned for generations. The MacLean family is travelling around the country in a camper van. And Ruiha lives in an outer suburb of Wellington but commutes to school in the city. This text explores what “home” means to all these people. It includes information about their daily routines and the challenges they face. Quotes from interviews pepper the report, and key ideas are highlighted visually.
(Teacher support materials only)

Something Alive, by Jem Yoshioka→

Jem Yoshioka was born and bred in New Zealand to New Zealand-born parents, so technically she only belongs to one place. But her Japanese ancestry is a living part of her. This graphic novel, written and drawn by Jem, explores a struggle we are all familiar with: that of seeking to understand who we are and where we belong. Rich in both written and visual imagery, this text invites multiple readings.

Mirror Image, by Julia Randerson→

Winner of the 2016 Elsie Locke Writing Prize.
“Rain spat at Meggie as she trudged home through storm-darkened streets. Being mocked at school for opposing the Springbok tour had put her in a black mood." Themes of racism, protest, apartheid, South Africa, NZ history.

Family Photographs, by Alison Wong →

In this prose poem, the poet reflects on two old photographs that show her father at different ages. In one, her father was four years old and was living in New Zealand with his family. By the time of the second photo, the family had gone back to China and there are two more children. Both photos show his siblings, and the clothes they wear reflect the styles of the two very different countries.

‘Afakasi Chameleon, by Selina Tusitala Marsh→

Poem with themes of ancestry, culture, heritage, immigration, mixed-race.

Te Kura Tuatahi: New Zealand’s First School, by Ross Calman→

Two hundred years ago, our first school opened at Rangihoua.

Kauri Island, by Amy Head→

Fiction set in the 1800s about a young girl settling in NZ with her family and making her first friend - a Māori boy.

Fallen Leaves, by Paul Mason→

This historical fiction, set in 1845, is told from the point of view of a young Māori protaganist. Haora works in the printery at Kororāreka at the time when war was building between Ngāpuhi chief Hone Heke (Hone Wiremu Heke Pōkai) and the British troops.

Ngā Tātarakihi o Parihaka, by Lucy Bailey→

This story, set at Parihaka just prior to the government raid in 1881, is told from the perspective of a young girl who was living there. The author’s great-grandmother was living at Parihaka at that time, and the story is partially based on oral history.

Hakaraia: Warrior Peacemaker, by Mark Derby→

The life of an important Māori leader is remembered. Covers musket wars, missionaries, Kingitanga movement.

Ngā Pakanga o Aotearoa/The New Zealand Wars, by Ross Calman→

“The New Zealand Wars” describes the wars fought between 1845 and 1872. The wars were about who controlled the country and who owned the land. This long and fascinating article explains the circumstances of the wars, including the areas and tribes involved. There are good general descriptions of the main confrontations and key players, both Māori and British. The text is written by a Māori author who presents a balanced account of the wars and their impacts. 

Explorers of the Sunrise, by Jeff Evans and Damon Salesa →

Polynesians have traveled vast distances in canoes for more than three thousand years, resulting in many settlements across the Pacific. In “Explorers of the Sunrise”, the first article recounts a recent voyage from New Zealand to Rapanui and back, using traditional navigation methods. The second article describes Polynesian travel, from the earliest migrations to modern-day air travel.

Keeping Promises: The Treaty Settlement Process, by Mark Derby→

This article provides an accessible introduction to the Treaty settlement process. The content covers events from 1840, when the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, through to the present day. The material is organised in sections with brief, clear headings. It also includes a pop-up interview section with quotes from six Māori from different iwi who comment on the Treaty settlement process and what it has meant for them.

Captain Cook Charting Our Islands, by Melanie Lovell Smith→

This article describes Captain Cook’s first visit to New Zealand where he charted the coastline. It focuses on Cook’s abilities as a skilled maker of charts and maps rather than as a great explorer. It also examines the maths involved in Cook’s chart making (a perfect, real-life example of maths in everyday life).

Te Tiriti o Waitangi, by Ross Calman and Mark Derby

This comic provides a fresh approach to the story of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document. It covers a wide time span, from the arrival of Polynesian explorers to the signing of Te Tiriti, to the New Zealand Wars, and through to the modern-day Treaty settlement process. A special emphasis is put on explaining the two versions of Te Tiriti and exploring their ongoing significance.