What makes a protest effective? When is disruption justified to fight injustice?
How did activists in the 1970s-80s build on generations of resistance we've studied?
What forms does activism take today, and how might you participate in the ongoing
struggle for justice?
Return to these questions at each transition; they anchor the
end-of-lesson commitments.
š
Learning Intentions (kaiako version)
Guide Äkonga to analyze the strategies, rhetoric, and impacts of 1970s-80s protest
movements, connecting them to the historical arc of resistance and contemporary
activism.
Analyze the goals, strategies, and arguments of Bastion Point, the 1975 Land March,
and the Polynesian Panthers.
Evaluate the effectiveness of different protest tactics (occupation, march,
community organizing).
Connect 20th-century activism to historical resistance patterns from Lessons 1-3.
Debate the ethics and effectiveness of disruptive protest in a democracy.
ā
Success Criteria (Äkonga-facing)
I can explain the goals and tactics of at least two 1970s-80s protest movements.
I can use the PEEL structure to present an argument made by activists.
I can connect a 1970s issue to something MÄori fought for in earlier lessons.
I can form and defend my own position on when disruption is justified.
šæ
Te MÄtaiaho threads visible in this lesson
Tangata Whenuatanga Ā· PS4: Äkonga examine how tÅ«puna exercised mana
motuhake through collective action and strategic protest.
MÄtauranga MÄori: Protest as continuation of whakapapaāconnecting
contemporary activists to historical rangatira.
Te Tiriti-honouring practice: Analyzing how activists used te
Tiriti arguments to demand Crown accountability.
Critical Thinking: Evaluating ethics of civil disobedience and
forming evidence-based arguments.
The 1970s were when the embers of frustration burst into the flames of action. Ahi KÄ refers to
the "burning fires" of occupationāproving your right to the land by keeping your fires lit upon it. At
Bastion Point and on the Land March, tūpuna reignited these fires for the whole world to see.
"Tama tū, tama ora; tama noho, tama mate." - He who stands lives; he who sits
perishes. Action is life.
Distribute the Bastion Point Video Companion
before viewing. This documentary covers the 506-day occupation of Takaparawhau (1977-78).
Before viewing: Brief context: NgÄti WhÄtua land taken for "public works,"
never used as promised, then sold for luxury housing. The occupation was peaceful resistance.
During viewing: Pause at 5:00 (occupation begins), 10:00 (daily life on the
land), 15:00 (eviction day) to complete guided prompts.
After viewing: Transition into the movement comparison activity analyzing
different protest strategies.
Formative checkpoint: Collect viewing notes, strategy analysis charts, and PEEL
argument paragraphs as MÄtainuku evidence.
Haerenga Ako ā Lesson Flow (75 minutes)
1. WhakatÅ«whera Ā· What is
Effective Protest? (10 mins)
Begin with karakia. Pose the question: "If you believed the
government was stealing your ancestral land, what would you do?"
Teacher moves
Give 2 minutes think time, then pair-share.
Create a class brainstorm: What tactics could protesters use? (petition, march,
occupation, social media, legal challenge, etc.)
Introduce the spectrum: "Polite request" āā "Disruptive action". Where would your
ideas fall?
Explain that today we'll analyze real movements and evaluate their effectiveness.
2. Guided Viewing ā Bastion
Point Documentary (20 mins)
Use the video companion to structure viewing. Focus on: Why did
they occupy? How did they organize? What happened at eviction? What was the outcome?
š¬ Science Lens: The Logistics of Occupation
How do you keep 500 people alive on a windy
hill for 506 days without city utilities?
Sanitation Engineering: Digging deep-pit latrines well away from
sleeping quarters to prevent typhoid.
Supply Chains: A dedicated "kitchen crew" managed donations from unions
and community supportersāfeeding an army on a budget of zero.
Shelter Physics: Using scavenged materials to build structures capable
of withstanding Auckland's gale-force winds. The camp wasn't a slum; it was a feat of
civil engineering.
Evidence to bank: Viewing notes, quote captures, emotional response
journals.
3. Movement Comparison
Stations (25 mins)
Set up three stations. Students rotate every 8 minutes, analyzing a
different movement at each station.
Station A: Bastion Point
(Occupation)
Key figure: Joe Hawke. Why occupation? Physical
presence prevents bulldozers. It asserts ahi kÄ.
Station B: 1975 Land March
(Hikoi)
Key figure: Dame Whina Cooper (79 yrs old). Why
march? To wake up the nation. Walking 1,000km creates a spectacle active
media cannot ignore.
Station C: Polynesian
Panthers (Organizing)
Key figures: Will 'Ilolahia, Melani Anae. Why
organize? To solve immediate needs (police brutality, legal aid) that the
state ignored.
š Global Context: The Era of "Red Power"
MÄori were not alone. The 1970s was a global decade of indigenous
uprising:
1972 Canberra:
Aboriginal activists set up the Tent
Embassy on the Parliament lawn. It is still there today.
1973 Wounded Knee (USA):
The American Indian Movement (AIM) occupied the town of
Wounded Knee for 71 days, exchanging fire with federal agents.
š MÄtanga Whispers: The Cost of Ahi KÄ
It is easy to romanticize protest as exciting. But ahi kÄ
burns.
Joe Hawke's niece died in a tragic fire during
the Bastion Point occupation. Families lost jobs. Some were arrested and carried criminal
records for life. Real change is often paid for with the happiness of the front-line
fighters.
Teacher checkpoints
At each rotation, ask: "What aspects of this tactic made it effective or limited?"
Encourage students to find connections between movements.
Photograph station worksheets for moderation evidence.
P: The Bastion
Point protestors argued that the Crown violated te Tiriti by taking NgÄti WhÄtua land
under false pretenses. E: Joe Hawke stated, "This land was taken from
usā¦" E: This matters becauseā¦ L: This connects to the
broader fight for tino rangatiratanga becauseā¦
5. Whakawhiti KÅrero ā
Debate: Is Disruption Justified? (5 mins)
Facilitate a quick values-based discussion.
Exit question:
"Under what conditions, if any, is
disruptive protest justified in a democracy? Use evidence from today's lesson to support
your position."
Output: Collect written exit tickets and/or audio reflections for MÄtainuku
evidence.
š Formative Assessment, MÄtairea Support & Moderation Workflow
MÄtainuku evidence you can
hold in your hands
Collect at least three artefacts per student and note progression
language for tagging uploads.
Documentary viewing notes: Quote captures and strategy observations
from Bastion Point.
Station comparison charts: Analysis of three different protest
movements.
PEEL paragraph: Structured argument using evidence from an activist
movement.
Exit reflection: Position statement on justified disruption with
evidence.
MÄtairea differentiation moves
Scaffold: Provide PEEL sentence starters; offer graphic organizers for
station comparison; allow audio recording instead of writing.
Extend: Research additional movements (Raglan Golf Course, WhÄnganui
River claim); analyze media coverage of protests and bias; compare to international
movements (Civil Rights, Idle No More).
Wellbeing: Some Äkonga may have whÄnau who participated in these
movementsācreate space for sharing. Others may find footage of police evictions
distressingāpreview content warnings.
Moderation tip: Tag uploads with U2L4-activism and note
whether evidence demonstrates movement knowledge, argument quality, or ethical reasoning.
Kaiako checkpoints after each
phase
During opening discussion, check that students can articulate multiple protest tactics.
At documentary pause points, verify understanding of why occupation was chosen.
During station rotation, listen for accurate analysis of each movement's strategy and
impact.
At PEEL construction, confer with students struggling to connect evidence to argument.
Draft a letter to the editor defending or critiquing a current protest movement, using
PEEL structure.
Whakaaro - Reflection
The 1970s saw an eruption of activism that connected
to centuries of resistance. Dame Whina Cooper walking the length of Aotearoa at 79, whÄnau camping
for 506 days at Bastion Point, the Panthers patrolling to protect communitiesāthese were not
isolated events but links in an unbroken chain of mana motuhake.
"Not one more acre of MÄori land!" ā The call of the
1975 Land March echoes still. What will your generation add to this legacy?
Cross-Curricular Extensions
English
Analyze the rhetoric of protest speeches; write an op-ed arguing
for a cause; study song lyrics from the era.
Media Studies
Analyze newspaper coverage of Bastion Point for bias; compare
archival to documentary framing; create a social media campaign.
Legal Studies
Examine Public Works Act and Treaty Principles Act; debate civil
disobedience vs rule of law; analyze Waitangi Tribunal processes.
Visual Arts
Create protest art inspired by the era; analyze tino
rangatiratanga flag design; document contemporary activism through photography.