Digging for Kauri Gum
Thousands of people went to the gum fields in Northland in the 1800s and early 1900s to dig for kauri gum. The gum trade was even more popular than the trade in gold and wool.
About this resource
Series: School Journal Level 2 November 2024
Reading year level: 4
Topics: Dalmatia, gorse, gum, gum digging, history, kāpia, kauri, Māori, Northland, Te Tai Tokerau, trade, trees
Digging for Kauri Gum
Words by Paul Mason
Thousands of people went to the gum fields in Northland in the 1800s and early 1900s to dig for kauri gum. The gum trade was even more popular than the trade in gold and wool.
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More from this issue of the School Journal
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School Journal Level 2 November 2024
Inside this School Journal are four articles (Digging for Kauri Gum; Telling Stories through Art; Bringing the Past to Life; Search Dog), two stories (Ngā Kiri Kāpia; The Sleepover), and one example of student writing (Why honey bees are important). Four texts in this issue share the theme of uncove...
1 of 7Ngā Kiri Kāpia
Two cousins meet a family of gum diggers on the gum fields in Te Tai Tokerau in the early 1900s.
2 of 7Telling Stories through Art
This activity shows students how to make an artwork that shows something about themselves.
3 of 7Bringing the Past to Life
We can learn a lot about the past when we look at a colour photo.
4 of 7The Sleepover
When Taylor is invited to a sleepover at Min’s house, she wonders what she will eat. And what if she has to talk to a family member she hasn’t met before?
5 of 7Why honey bees are important
There are lots of different types of bees, but we wouldn’t be alive without honey bees.
6 of 7Search Dog
Roxy is learning how to be a search-and-rescue dog.
7 of 7
