The Art of Taiaha
Almost every year since 1973, tāne Māori have travelled to a wānanga near Rotorua to train in the art of taiaha. Liam Ratana shares his life-changing experience.
About this resource
Series: School Journal Level 4 June 2024
Reading year level: 8
Topics: culture, identity, kaitiaki, Lake Rotorua, mana, Mokoia Island, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, taiaha, taniwha, Te Arawa, tūpuna, wānanga
The Art of Taiaha
Words by Liam Ratana
Photos by Te Rawhitiroa Bosch
Almost every year since 1973, tāne Māori have travelled to a wānanga near Rotorua to train in the art of taiaha. Liam Ratana shares his life-changing experience.
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More from this issue of the School Journal
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School Journal Level 4 June 2024
Inside this School Journal are two articles (The Art of Taiaha; Thinking Big – Pōtiki Poi), three stories (Tivaevae; Skylarking; Beans on Toast), one essay (My First Ramadan) and one example of student writing (Maim Kithom Ham | Where I am from). Five texts in this issue share the theme of identity.
1 of 7Tivaevae Story
In this sequel to “Aunties”, Maria Samuela continues to explore loss and family and the ways people deal with grief.
2 of 7Maim Kithom Ham | Where I Am From
Student writing by Mehakpreet Kaur that celebrates her identity as a Punjabi New Zealander and a big reader.
3 of 7Skylarking
Historic fiction based on the true story of a Taranaki highwayman, the teenaged Robert Wallath, who had trouble distinguishing reality from fiction.
4 of 7My First Ramadan
In this personal essay, Khadro Mohamed shares her experience of her first Ramadan.
5 of 7Thinking Big – Pōtiki Poi
Georgia Latu runs the biggest poi company in the world. What are the challenges, and what motivates her?
6 of 7Beans on Toast
Brothers Toby and Joseph are back, and this time, Toby has a broken leg and is attempting to assert his power in a new way …
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