Print this handout for your ākonga or save it as a PDF to share with whānau.

Identity Map Interview Handout

He aha te kaupapa? · Why this matters

This interview captures the stories, values, and hopes that your whānau carry. You will kōrero with a whānau member (parent, caregiver, grandparent, auntie/uncle, older sibling, or chosen family member) and map their insights alongside your own identity work.

Bring this handout to your interview, record short notes in the spaces provided, and return with one action you will take to honour the kōrero. Mauri tū, mauri ora!

  • Use manaakitanga: listen with care, thank your whānau member, and record only what they are happy to share.
  • Interviews can be held in te reo Māori, English, or any language spoken in your whare.
  • If kanohi ki te kanohi is not possible, a phone, video call, or voice note exchange works well.

Who I am interviewing

Name & relationship

Interview date & place

Kāinga, marae, phone, zoom...

Part 1 · He whakarite · Preparing for the kōrero

Before your interview, note what each anchor means to you so you can open the conversation and set the tikanga.

Whānau

Who walks beside me and gives me strength?

Whenua

Which places anchor me? How do I stay connected?

Hapori

Who is in my circle of care? How do we look after each other?

Mentors & Aspirations

Who guides me today and what futures am I working toward?

Part 2 · Ngā Pātai Matua · Guiding questions

Use these pātai during your interview. Jot keywords, full sentences, or sketch icons that remind you what was shared.

Whānau · Family

  1. Who or what gives your whānau strength when you face challenges?
  2. What tikanga or practices connect you back to your tūrangawaewae?
  3. Complete together: “Ko ______ taku ______. He taonga ki ahau nā te mea ______.”

Whenua · Land

  1. Describe a place that is special to you and our whānau. What makes it significant?
  2. How does your connection to the land influence your values and beliefs?

Hapori · Community

  1. How do you show manaakitanga to others in our community?
  2. What role do you play in our hapori? How do you contribute?

Mentors

  1. Who has been a significant mentor in your life? What qualities do you admire in them?
  2. Complete together: “When ______ stands beside me, I feel ______ because ______.”

Aspirations & Ahi Kā

  1. What dreams do you have for future generations?
  2. What traditions or values do you want to keep alive? “To keep our ahi kā burning, I will ______.”
  3. Complete together: “This quote — ‘__________’ — guides my decisions for ______.”

Part 3 · Whakakapi · Summarising the kōrero

Summary of my whānau member’s identity

Action I will take to honour their kōrero

Part 4 · Mahere mahi · Action plan for this week

Design one way you will keep the kaupapa of this interview alive. Who will you share with? What will you do differently at kura, kāinga, or in your hapori?

My commitments for this week

  • Person I will share my learning with:
  • Action I will take this week:
  • How I will show the impact (photo, audio, written reflection, artwork):

Icon & Pattern Bank · Kupu ā-ataata

“Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.” — My strength is not that of an individual, but that of the collective.

Draw visual symbols from this kōrero (and add your own) to show the connections you want to carry forward.

Identity Map Interview icons and patterns

Icons include: 🌊 Moana (journeys) · ⛰️ Maunga (strength) · 🪶 Manu (messages) · 🔥 Ahi Kā (home fires) · ⭐ Pou (guiding values) · 🎶 Waiata (whakapapa waiata) · 🌿 Rongoā (healing) · 🌀 Koru (growth/return).

Quick kōrero reminders

  • Open with a mihi and let your whānau member know why this interview matters.
  • Share one of your own reflections first to model the depth of response you are aiming for.
  • Thank them and tell them how you will use the kōrero in class or at home.

Kaiako notes

  • Offer sentence starters or bilingual stems for students who want structured language, and provide opt-in alternatives for sensitive whakapapa.
  • Encourage audio or voice-note reflections if writing is a barrier.
  • Gain permission before any story is shared beyond the class and allow learners to keep parts private.
  • Link interview insights back to the Identity Map artefact and Mātainuku/Mātairea evidence requirements.

Curriculum links: Tangata Whenuatanga, Whanaungatanga, Mātauranga Māori, English speaking/listening (Years 7–10).