Oriori
People sing oriori to babies as the babies are growing inside their mothers. They also sing them during birth to help keep the mother and the baby relaxed. Later on, oriori can be used as lullabies. Oriori help pass on values and knowledge about te ao Māori. They do this through place names, whakapapa, and stories about the baby’s whānau. Oriori often include the hopes and dreams of the whānau for the baby.
About this resource
Series: School Journal Level 2 June 2022
Reading year level: 4
Topics: ancestors, culture, heritage, history, identity, inheritance, kōtuku, language, lullaby, metaphor, oriori, poetry, responsibility, stories, taonga, te reo Māori, tūpuna, values, whakapapa, whānau
Oriori
Words by Ariana Tikao
Illustrations by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White
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More from this series
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School Journal Level 2 June 2022
Inside this School Journal are five articles (Hui Te Rangiora - The Navigator; Oriori, Tō Mātou Wāhi - Our Place; Māui at Mahitahi and Out of the Wild), one poem (Piki Kōtuku), one student writing (My Poppa), and two stories (Hidden Talent; Best in Show).
1 of 9Hui Te Rangiora - The Navigator
Long before the tūpuna of Māori settled in Aotearoa, people sailed across the Pacific Ocean using their knowledge of the stars and nature to find their way. One of those people was Hui Te Rangiora. Nearly 1,500 years ago, he made an amazing journey deep into Te Tai Uka a Pia (the Southern Ocean), wh...
2 of 9Tō Mātou Wāhi - Our Place
Fox Glacier Weheka School is a small, rural kura. You’ll find it in the middle of South Westland. The school has only fourteen students. Some of them live near Fox Glacier Te Moeka o Tūawe, but others live at Bruce Bay Mahitahi. The Bruce Bay Mahitahi students have to travel for over an hour to get ...
3 of 9Māui at Mahitahi
Do you know who Māui is? If you ask people this question, most will reply “Yes”. But then, if you ask them to tell you more about Māui, it’s likely that each person will describe him differently. They might say Māui is a demi-god, a hero, a trickster, a rascal, their tipuna, or “that guy The Rock pl...
4 of 9Out of the Wild
When did the chicken cross the road? Probably about eight thousand years ago – no joke! That’s when some scientists think chickens were first domesticated. What about dogs, cats, and other animals? When did they start living with people. And why?
5 of 9Piki Kōtuku
Taku piki kōtuku e, ka tau mai koe i hea? I rere mai i tūārangi, i Rangiātea. Ehara i te mea poka noa tō taenga mokorea. My rare feather plume, where are you from? You flew in from far away, from Rangiātea. Your arrival at this time is not by chance.
6 of 9My Poppa
My Poppa is special to me. We share the same middle name, and it is Murray. I am the third generation to have the name Murray — it is my uncle’s middle name, too.
7 of 9Hidden Talent
Annie is feeling envious of her siblings – they each have a special talent. (Kana is artistic, Juanita can sing, and rugby-playing Jackson has been made props manager for the upcoming talent quest.)
8 of 9Best in Show
Bentley had the same nightmare every night: he was in the Perfect Pedigree Pooch Show. He sat proudly on the stage. His coat shone. His teeth gleamed. “Ladies and gentlemen,” said the judge. “Winner of best in show is …”
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