Video Activity: The Legends of Māui

Exploring the Story of a Pacific Hero

📹 Video Learning: A Māui Te Tipua

📋 Before You Watch

Recall what you already know about Māui and his whānau.
Notice how tikanga (customs) guide the way people speak about Māui.
Be ready to explain how Māui’s actions show mana and kaitiakitanga.

🤔 Pātai While Watching

He aha ngā tikanga e whakaaturia ana e Māui i roto i ngā pakiwaitara?
Which tikanga (customs) does Māui demonstrate in these stories?
How do Māui’s actions reflect Māori values such as mana, whanaungatanga, and kaitiakitanga?
What makes Māui a trickster hero rather than a traditional hero? Give examples from the video.

💭 After Watching

Think-Pair-Share (2-3-5 minutes): Summarise one story from the video and explain the lesson it teaches about relationships between people, atua, and te taiao (the natural world). Pair up to compare interpretations, then share key ideas with the class.

Critical Thinking Questions

1. The documentary describes Māui as a "trickster hero". Which scenes highlight his trickster qualities, and which moments show heroic intentions?

2. Choose one of Māui’s feats (for example, slowing the sun or fishing up Te Ika-a-Māui). What lesson or value does the story emphasise for the iwi who tell it?

3. (Extension) Many of Māui’s feats involve reshaping the natural world. How does this reflect a Te Ao Māori view of the relationship between people and te taiao? Compare this with a modern scientific perspective.