6 The Maori of New Zealand 3.4 A Diverse and Connected World G The Maori of New Zealand New Zealand s indigenous people are called the Maori. It is believed that the Maori made their way to New Zealand from Polynesia around 700 years ago, and had to quickly adapt to the colder climate and different environment. At first, they survived by hunting animals such as seals and the native moa bird, before starting to grow foods such as kumara, or sweet potato. The Maori social structure is made up of tribes. Each tribe is made up of smaller clans who are responsible for defending land areas. Extended family, called whanau, is also very important. Before going into battle, Maori warriors used to perform the haka (a war chant or dance), sticking out their tongues and opening their eyes wide to intimidate the enemy. Fact! New Zealand has a shorter history of human habitation than any other country in the world. Scan the code to link to a video about dancing and the Maori culture. The first Europeans did not discover New Zealand until 1642, when Abel Tasman charted the west coast but did not go ashore. The country was annexed to the colony of New South Wales in 1839, and became a separate British colony in 1841. The arrival of Europeans gave the Maori access to farming methods, education and more goods, but they also introduced diseases, and brought firearms, which were used in tribal warfare.
Maori language The Maori have their own language, Te Reo Maori, which uses an alphabet of just 15 letters. It is one of New Zealand s two official spoken languages. The Maori have a long oral tradition, with stories passed down through the generations. It was only when European settlers arrived that the language was recorded in writing. Today, less than a quarter of the Maori population can speak Te Reo Maori. Maori culture The Maori traditionally express themselves through art, story, music and dance. You may be familiar with the haka, a traditional war dance that is still performed today. QUESTIONS 1. What do you think is New Zealand s other official language? Why? 2. Why do you think there was no written version of the Maori language prior to English settlement? 3. The word tribe is a collective noun used to classify a group of natives. Can you think of three other collective nouns used to describe a group of people or animals? Early Maori were skilled carvers and told stories to preserve their history, religion and traditions through their art. They also used natural materials such as flax and feathers to weave baskets, mats and clothes. Moko (tattoos) are also an important part of Maori culture. Men use full-face tattoos as a sign of power or rank, while women often have their lips and chins tattooed. Each design is unique, making tattoos a way to identify people. There are many patterns and designs, each with their own meaning. Maori people weave flax to make baskets, mats and clothes. Ozbox Year 6 Oxford University Press 2016 4. Use the QR code to watch the video Dances of Life. Why do you think dance was important to the Maori? 5. Learn some Te Reo Maori words at http://qrs.ly/yi4vdmm. Practise saying the words with a friend. 6. Choose an aspect of Maori culture (eg. haka, moko, weaving, etc.) and complete some research. Compile a short information report on your chosen aspect.
6 Disasters Around the World 4.4 A Diverse and Connected World G Disasters Around the World Over the last 30 years, many disastrous events have occurred around the world. Being so closely connected by television, radio and the Internet means that when a natural disaster strikes one part of the world, we all feel affected by it. These are some of the biggest overseas disasters of the last three decades. San Francisco earthquake, 1989 On 17 October 1989, a huge earthquake struck San Francisco. The earthquake caused a multilevel freeway to collapse. It shook a baseball stadium where 62 000 spectators were watching the game. No one in the stadium was hurt, but the 15-second earthquake had caused major damage to other parts of the city. Fires occurred from broken gas pipes, and a number of buildings collapsed, trapping many people underneath them. The earthquake killed more than 60 people and injured thousands. The San Francisco earthquake caused roads and buildings to crumble.
Boxing Day tsunami, 2004 On 26 December 2004, an underwater earthquake sent a huge wave sweeping across the Indian Ocean. The wave, known as a tsunami, crashed onto the shores of southern India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the Maldives and parts of eastern Africa. In some places the wave was up to 15 metres tall. More than 200 000 people were killed as the wave swept across vast areas of land. Hurricane Katrina, 2005 In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated and flooded large areas of the southern United States. Many homes were destroyed and around 2000 lives were lost in the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The city of New Orleans was the worst hit. About 80 per cent of New Orleans was flooded. Thousands of people were left without shelter, and had to seek emergency accommodation. Fact! Hurricane Katrina caused such bad flooding in New Orleans that 34000 people had to be rescued by the Coast Guard. Hurricane Katrina caused widespread destruction across much of the southern United States. Questions 1. Despite being three different types of natural disasters, what was the main impact of all of these events? 2. Why do you think the author chose to explain these three natural disasters? 3. Is the word affect a noun or a verb? What about the word effect? Show your understanding by using each word in a sentence. 4. Use the QR code to watch a video about the causes and consequences of earthquakes. Based on the information you have learnt here, formulate questions that you could research to learn more about a natural disaster of your choice. 5. Research the questions from the previous activity and record your findings. 6. Using the information that you have found, write an explanation text outlining how your chosen natural disaster occurs. Scan the code to link to a video about the causes and consequences of earthquakes. Ozbox Year 6 Oxford University Press 2016
6 A Nation of Many Cultures 6.3 A Diverse and Connected World G A Nation of Many Cultures I thought I knew all about England until I went there last month! My ideas about England were based on stereotypes I had picked up from the media and old books I had read. Many of my ideas were outdated and inaccurate. Many people think that all of England looks like the white cliffs of Dover. Firstly, I thought that England was a country with one common culture. I had no idea that, like Australia, it is very multicultural. In the last 70 years, people from all over the world have moved to England. Most have come from countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as Caribbean islands such as Barbados and Jamaica. Many migrants have also come from African countries such as South Africa and Kenya, and from Asia, particularly Hong Kong. Scan the code to link to a video about multiculturalism in modern-day Britain.
A mix of religions Before I went to England I thought that it was a country full of churches, and that most people were Christians. After all, England s reigning monarch is also the official head of the Church of England. There are certainly lots of churches in England, but there are also many mosques, temples and synagogues. Around 59 per cent of England s population is Christian, but nearly a quarter of the population has no religion, and 5 per cent is Muslim. Fact! Although Australia is 59 times bigger than England, England s population (53 million) is around 2.3 times bigger than Australia s (23 million). Questions 1. Prior to reading the card, did you have any particular ideas about England? Were they similar to or different from the narrator s original ideas about England? 2. Imagine you are an English person. Explain how you would feel about these stereotypes. 3. Media is a term that relates to many forms of information. Can you list some resources that would be classified as media? Ozbox Year 6 Oxford University Press 2016 Food and drink I also thought that English people all ate foods such as roast beef, fish and chips, and sausages! But these days, English people love curries as much as any of these traditional foods. This is mainly because so many people from India and Pakistan have made England their home. I also thought the people of England drank lots of tea. Many of them still do, but coffee is just as popular. There are thousands of coffee shops in England s big cities. There are many different kinds of churches in England. England is home to many busy, multicultural cities. 4. Use the QR code to watch a video on multiculturalism in Britain. What types of projects and initiatives have been introduced to try and maintain harmony between the cultures? 5. Research another multicultural country. Outline how multiculturalism is implemented in this country in comparison to Australia or England. 6. Pretend you are the narrator. Write a recount of a day spent in England and explain how you addressed and eliminated the outdated and inaccurate ideas you once had about the country.