Waimakariri Libraries want to help young people record, preserve, and learn from ancestral stories to aid their understanding of our local history and their place in it.

Purpose statement

Our local history in Waimakariri is rich and manyfold. While much of it is preserved in books and official documents, the people of Waimakariri who have lived through some of the significant events which shaped our rohe | district are the holders of significant knowledge which gives lives to facts and figures. With the help of Vaka Ō Te Tupuna - Canoe of Ancestors, a web app that creates a bridge between youth and elders, Waimakariri Libraries want to help young people record, preserve, and learn from ancestral stories to aid their understanding of our local history and their place in it.

Knowledge

The facts, concepts, principles, and theories to teach.

• This groundbreaking web app creates a bridge between youth and elders, helping young people record, preserve, and learn from ancestral stories.
• It highlights the importance of preserving family stories, asking deeper questions, and recording ancestral wisdom before it’s lost.
• Students gain knowledge and understanding of historical events and the role of oral history through intergenerational learning.

Practices

The skills, strategies, and applications to teach.

• Interviewing and listening skills as well as critical thinking
• Using digital platforms to preserve and share stories
• Acknowledge their role in preserving local heritage
• Asking and answering open-ended questions that test assumptions and consider possible consequences
• Asking and answering follow-up questions that explore different viewpoints, consider possible consequences, and challenge assumptions
• Using spoken language to make inferences and draw conclusions by interpreting ideas, justifying thinking,
• Identifying and using oral language structures from their own and others’ cultures in ways that are culturally responsive and appropriate to engage the audience
• Using relatable experiences and cultural expressions (e.g. whakataukī, kīwaha, proverbs, popular sayings) to connect with the audience
• Clarifying and extending others’ ideas by paraphrasing, asking thoughtful questions, or offering connected examples
• Anticipating and responding to an audience’s response, using relevant cultural expressions, examples and analogies, and
• Leading group discussions by managing turn-taking, reinforcing collaboration, and responding to social cues

Here is the link to a video describing the Vaka Ō Te Tupuna web app in more detail. The questions are completely customisable, based on the focus the kaiako want to set for their classes, and the recordings get saved to Google Drive, which makes them easy to share with others and curatable in collections on Waimakariri Heritage.

Due to the complexity of this session, it is targeted at ākonga aged 10 and over.