Connecting with Pōhutukawa
Activities to support tamariki to reflect and connect with their whakapapa and those who have passed
A little background...
Pōhutukawa symbolises the connection between the living and those who have passed on. During Matariki celebrations, Pōhutukawa is a way to honour and remember loved ones who have passed on. In Māori storytelling (pūrākau), it’s linked to the spiritual presence of those who have left the earthly world, reminding us of the ongoing connection between past, present, and future.
Our ideas...
A pukapuka we love
A pukapuka we use to support this learning is ‘The Memory Tree’ by Britta Teckentrup. After reading this as a class use this as an opportunity to kōrero the emotions we can experience after losing someone - ask tamariki to consider how the other animals felt throughout the pukapuka.
Connecting with our pepeha
We love this interactive pepeha activity from our buddies over at Tākai to create a mini pukapuka sharing your whakapapa. As tamariki complete their pepeha pukapuka, this creates an opportunity to reflect on those who came before us and shaped our identity.
Kōrero with whānau
Encourage tamariki to take their learning home and kōrero with whānau the people who we have passed and the impact those people had on our lives and the people around us.