Whakapapa / Family Tree
This term students in Ruma Tahi have been investigating their family trees. This was a part of our mihi unit. We researched and wrote our basic mihi and then created a digital learning object so that we could share our visual mihi with others. Some of us learned how to use 'screencastify' so that we could demonstrate our pronunciation when speaking our mihi.
After completing our mihi we each created a branch for our classroom family tree. This tree stretched across a wall and around a corner because there are so many of us in Ruma Tahi! We found out that many of us share common ancestors. More of us share common countries of origin. We all know that each of us has ancestors who travelled to Aotearoa / New Zealand.
Our final step was to write a poem that referenced the idea of whakapapa / family tree. This week we have one to share with you.
I Am the Green Apple of My Family Tree
I am a green apple, I’m in the middle.
My sister is the blossom, who just bloomed.
My dad and mum are red, nice and ripe.
My grandparents have turned yellow, after their days.
My great grandparents are the soil, but they're still there for us in a way.
My aunts, uncles and cousins are in the nearby branches.
The more distant they’re related to me, the further away they are.
No matter what or who we become we will always stay near our apple tree.
People are there before me
and people will come after
me.
I’m the middle of my apple tree.
By Lakshitha
