Ā mātou kōrero – Our stories
A set of illustrated storybooks to celebrate the Kiwi Muslim community.
About this resource
Ā mātou kōrero - Our stories is a series of illustrated storybooks that have been developed to support, reflect, and celebrate the Kiwi Muslim community in Aotearoa New Zealand. They are also a way for non-Muslim Kiwis to “learn about others, so that they are no longer others.”
The idea for this series was raised by Dr Maysoon Salama of the Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand, and the Ministry of Education, after the terrible events in Christchurch in March 2019, to support wellbeing and inclusion, resilience, and understanding of the Muslim community in Aotearoa.
The books are designed to be read to tamariki, by kaiako or whānau, and are intended for an audience of both Muslim and non-Muslim tamariki throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. The series has been created for those in Early Childhood settings and at Level 1 of The New Zealand Curriculum and is aligned with both Te Whāriki and The New Zealand Curriculum.
The focus of the series is on wellbeing and resilience, and promoting unity, diversity, and inclusion – and the kaiako support materials (KSMs) incorporate these purposes into the learning discussions and activities.
Ā mātou kōrero – Our stories
Aya and the Butterfly
Aya and the Butterfly is the story of a young girl who is coming to terms with losing her father and learning that it is okay to feel sad and to miss him, while also remembering him with the help of her grandparents.
Aya and the Butterfly is accompanied by support material to assist with conversations with learners around the topics of grief and loss, and the cycle of life in general.
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- Aya and the Butterfly (.pdf)
- Kaiako support material – Aya and the Butterfly. (.pdf)
Watch Dr Maysoon Salama reads Aya and the Butterfly in English.
Aya and the Butterfly – Arabic text
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- Aya and the Butterfly – Arabic text (.pdf)
- Kaiako support material – Aya and the Butterfly Arabic text (.pdf)
Watch Dr Maysoon Salama reads Aya and the Butterfly in Arabic.
Welcome Home
When Syed the sandgrouse becomes lost in a storm far away from his home, he has to find a way to make a new life in Aotearoa New Zealand and meets new friends to help him along his way.
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- Welcome Home (.pdf)
- Kaiako support material - Welcome Home (.pdf)
Open Day at the Mosque
Open Day at the Mosque is the story of a typical open day celebration, narrated by a young girl from the mosque – tour the mosque and see all the different ways the open day is celebrated and shared with the wider local community.
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- Open Day at the Mosque (.pdf)
- Kaiako support material - Open Day at the Mosque (.pdf)
Ko wai au? – Who am I?
A pepeha-inspired story about a young Kiwi Muslim boy growing up in Waikato and the different ways that culture, food, family and friends, and his likes and dislikes combine to give him his own unique identity.
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- Ko wai au - Who am I (.pdf)
- Kaiako support material - Ko wai au - Who am I (.pdf)
Curriculum links
Te Whāriki
- Principles – Relationships | Ngā Hononga, Empowerment | Whakamana, and Holistic development | Kotahitanga
- Strands – Wellbeing | Mana atua, and Belonging | Mana whenua
The New Zealand Curriculum
- Key competencies – managing self, relating to others, participating, and contributing.
- Health and Physical Education – personal growth and development, personal identity, relationships, identity, sensitivity, and respect.
Key themes / Messages / Purpose
- Resilience – feeling sad, and remembering, but learning to keep on going.
- Coping with change.
- Community support, healing within families and community.
- Positive stories for Aotearoa New Zealand Muslim community.
- Belonging.
- Being inclusive.
- Acceptance and tolerance of differences (rejecting prejudice and discrimination) .
- “Learning about others, so they are no longer others.”
- Trying hard, coping with rejection, and still trying hard anyway.
- Empowerment.
- Unity.