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Iwi Inc — early Māori enterprise

Painting by James Smetham showing a group of Māori in traditional dress meeting with a group of English people in formal dress in Wesley's house

'The New Zealand Chiefs in Wesley’s House', 1863 by James Smetham. Acc: 13,395 Hocken Collections — Uare o Taoka Hākena. All rights reserved.

Examine the business practices that propelled Māori chiefs and their tribes onto the world stage in a way that few other indigenous societies of the time were able to do. How did He Whakaputanga arise from this period of change?

Key details

Suitable for: Years 7 to 13

Learning areas: Social sciences (including history, economics), English

Duration: 2 hours

Cost: Free

Available: All year

Founding document: He Whakaputanga — Declaration of Independence

He Tohu themes: The documents, people, place, living together, our future

Book/enquire: servicestoschools@dia.govt.nz

What ākonga will learn

Ākonga (students) will learn:

  • stories of first encounters between Māori and Pākehā explorers, traders, and settlers
  • the extent to which Māori adapted or changed their practices as a result of these encounters
  • the economic profiles of Māori and Pākehā at that time — how they compare and what they look like today.

What ākonga will do

Use critical thinking to:

  • examine case studies of specific Waitangi Tribunal report summaries
  • reflect upon the economic journey of Māori iwi and hapū
  • participate and contribute to debate and discussion about the impact of this period in history on the socio-economic climate of Aotearoa New Zealand in 2020 and beyond.