This module provides an interactive resource to help teachers prepare and lead a project that uses Ngā Toi/the Arts to engage creatively with the geographic, cultural and spiritual dimensions of a specific site (outside the classroom).

Whakatauākī

E hoki koe ki tō ūkaipō;kia purea koe ki ngā hau o Tāwhirimātea

Return to your ūkaipō1;there to be cleansed by the winds of Tāwhirimātea.

Key messages

Education in- and outside the classroom needs to contribute to the hauora/well being of its participants (students & teachers);

This module offers participants an opportunity to engage creatively with self, other and environment;

It provides a space for culturally responsive practice;

Arts-in-Collaboration2 is used as the principal strategy to achieve the module’s purpose;

The activities in this module can be linked to the national curriculum, essential learning areas Ngā Toi/The Arts, and Ka Hikitia initiatives, such as ‘Māori achieving as Māori’.

Supporting resources:

Resource #1: Te Whare Tapere – PDF document

Resource #2: Devised Theatre Resource – PDF document

Resource #3: On Culturally Responsive Practice – PDF document

Resource #4: Dramaturgy Resource – PDF document

1 The concept of ūkaipō refers to a place of spiritual nourishment.2 Arts-in-Collaboration refers to a process in which all participants (teachers, students & parents) work together to create an original performance that incorporates dance, music, drama and the visual arts.

Module: Engaging Creatively with Locality

Resource #5: Participant Workbook

Offering a Māori Perspective to Education Outside The ClassroomA Holistic Approach:

Marsden (Royal, 2003, pp. 33-34) explains that ‘[the] Māori approach to life is holistic. There is no

sharp division between culture, society and their institutions.’(p. 33) Such an approach aims at ‘the

harmonisation, integration and reconciliation of the various elements […]’. EOTC – as a platform to

extend learning to a variety of contexts, and to enable, through its activities, the formation of positive

and respectful relationships with fellow students, teachers, environment, and the wider community –

contributes to a holistic approach to learning that will benefit both Māori and non-Māori students.

Knowledge and Wisdom:

From a Māori perspective it is through the process of physical, spiritual and mental engagement with

the world that knowledge can transform into wisdom. Marsden explains that ‘[k]nowledge is a thing

of the head, an accumulation of facts. Wisdom is a thing of the heart’ (p. 59). He asserts that wisdom

occurs when knowledge is integrated in the centre of one’s being.

The swallowing of Rehutai is symbolic of how this state [of wisdom] may be achieved. Hukatai

(sea foam) and Rehutai (sea spray) are metaphors taken from a canoe en passage on the sea.

The sea foam or wake generated by the canoe in motion symbolises the pursuit of knowledge

as an accumulation of facts picked up along the way. […] As the sea foam is thrown up by the

bow, the rays of the sun piercing the foam creates a rainbow effect as you peer through it. By

meditation in the heart, the centre of one’s being, illumination comes suddenly in a moment of

time, and the unorganised sets of ideas suddenly gel together to form an integrated whole in

which tensions and contradictions are resolved. Knowledge is transformed into wisdom.

Rev. Māori Marsden (Royal 2003: 59)

EOTC activities offer students the opportunity to integrate knowledge into the core of their being by

engaging with the world in its multiple aspects [symbolised by the three baskets of knowledge

obtained by Tāne (Royal 2003, pp. 60-62)]. The process of engaging with the world (beyond the

classroom) can be likened to the process of swallowing the Rehutai.

World of Symbol:

Ancient Māori seers created a set of symbols to map or model each state of the creation or

evolutionary process. According to Marsden (Royal 2003) these ‘symbols were encapsultated and

couched in story/myth/legend/art/forms/proverb/ritual and liturgical action’ (p. 31). The following

module employs the symbolic potential of the arts and Māori legend as a pathway to further our

understanding of certain phenomena in the world.

The Whare Tapere:

By taking a closer look at the whare tapere (the pre-European Māori performing arts), we will

highlight some of its practices and values that are constructive for the EOTC activity of this module.

Royal (1998) suggests that the whare tapere functions as a platform to give form and expression to

the Te Ao Mārama philosophy through the exploration and encouragement of six fundamental values

or concepts: manaakitanga, rangatiratanga, whanaungatanga, tohungatanga, ūkaipō, and

kotahitanga (pp. 215-216). See Resource #1: Whare Tapere Resource.docx. Of central importance to

Māori cosmology is the separation of Ranginui (Sky Father) and Papatūānuku (Mother Earth), which

marked the emergence of Te Ao Mārama (pp. 47- 51). This event symbolises the separation of male

and female principles - giving space to each. It not only created space but also introduced light,

necessary for the development of their offspring and the natural world. Light in this context can be

seen to refer to the natural phenomenon, as well as the metaphorical sense of enlightenment or

growing understanding of how things are.

Devised or Collaborative Theatre

This module offers students, teachers, and where possible parents, a guide in the exploration of the

geographic, cultural and spiritual dimensions of a particular site (outside the classroom). It will do so,

through a process, known as devised or collaborative theatre. Van Dijk (2011) offers the following

definition:

Devised Theatre is a process of theatre making in which all the participants develop – through

collaborative exploration – a specific and well-defined point of departure (POD) into a

performance that is current, original and unforeseen. (p.9)

In other words: you know where you are coming from, but you don’t know where you will end up. If

production work involves working towards a known outcome, true creative work engages in a

process of which the outcome per definition is unknown. It values journey (or process) over destiny

(or outcome). The ‘unknown outcome’ aspect of the devising process serves the value of ‘innovation,

inquiry, and curiosity, by thinking critically, creatively and reflectively’, as outlined in The New

Zealand Curriculum (EOTC Guidelines, page 8, paragraph 12). The devising process – in its entirety –

serves the values of manaakitanga (mutual respect), whanaungatanga (relatedness), rangatiratanga

(collaborative leadership), ūkaipō (spiritual nourishment or transformation), and kotahitanga

(equality and connectedness).

Creative collaboration, as the principal strategy in this model, provides a fertile ground for students

to develop leadership, cooperation, time management, problem solving, critical thinking, lateral

thinking, mutual respect, and the ability to contribute for the sake of a collective purpose. As such, it

serves a wide range of values, key competencies, and the ‘teaching as inquiry’ aspect of The New

Zealand Curriculum (EOTC Guidelines, pages 8 - 10, paragraph 12-22).

The devising process can be divided in the following stages: 1) establishing a POD, 2) research, 3)

exploration & improvisation, 4) scoring, 5) rehearsing, and 6) performing.

See for more detailed information Resource #2: Devised Theatre resource.docx.

Site-specific Performance: Engaging Creatively with Locality

The point of departure for the devising process in this module can either be an indigenous story

explaining the creation of a certain landmark in the area (cultural/indigenous knowledge embedded

in place), or it could be a specific site that holds geographic, cultural and/or spiritual interest for the

participants (for example: Taputeranga island, a pa site, a scientific reserve, a heritage site, an area

of geographic significance, a site of cultural relevance, a place of worship, and so on).

Whether the point of departure is a story or a site, (much of) the creative development and the

eventual performance are assumed to take place on site (hence the term: site-specific).

At the start of this module, teachers, parents and students of a particular school reflect on what it

means to be culturally responsive in- and outside the classroom, addressing questions such as:

– What is culture?

– How do we make our learning environment a place in which all students and teachers feel safe, appreciated, respected and valued for their uniqueness and differences?

– What gets in the way of appreciating one another’s cultural identity?

– Have there been incidents or situations in which you haven’t felt acknowledged or valued in your cultural identity?

– How can this site-specific project facilitate the appreciation and incorporation of the participants’ cultural values, heritage and expressions?

See Resource #3: On Culturally Responsive Practice.doc.

Stage 1: Point of Departure

1. Students (and teachers) will map the environment (either immediate neighbourhood or an area

further afield) for the presence of any site that holds geographic, cultural/historical and/or spiritual

significance;

2. Students (and teachers) will investigate the existence of any indigenous stories relating to the

creation of certain landmarks in the neighbourhood;

3. In smaller groups students are asked to prepare a presentation – including visual and spoken

material – to “pitch” their choice of story or site, arguing why it would make a great point of

departure for a devised performance;

4. Pitching / presentations;

5. Selection of the most inspiring story or site – based on the quality of the presentations.

Stage 2: Research

6. If the POD is a story, students will investigate the deeper meanings and metaphorical layers of the

story through a process of dramaturgy that involves creating oil pastel drawings of the overall story

and each of the beats. See Resource #4: Dramaturgy Resource.doc;

7. If the POD is a specific site, students are asked to investigate the significance of the site by mapping

the site geographically, culturally/historically and spiritually. This process of investigation gathers

information based on both fact and fantasy;

8. Depending on level and skills of particpating students, further research is undertaken by gathering

images, background information, waiata, stories or poetry relating to story or site, music, significant

characters; and so on.

Stage 3: Exploration/Improvisation

9. If the POD is a story, students are asked to establish which sections of the story could be expressed

through dialogue, soundscape, waiata (song), or dance/movement. Are there sections in the story

that could best be portrayed through large or small scale puppetry?

10. Students will subsequently develop the vocabularies of these identified sections (dialogue,

soundscape, waiata, movement, or puppetry) through improvisation. Remember: “Less is More” –

it is better to be sparse that to have too much material.

11. If the POD is a specific site, students are asked to respond to the site through improvised

explorations based on the various vocabularies of dance/movement, song, sound, dramatic

scenarios, dialogue/poetry, and puppetry or objects.

The linked resource provides an exemplar of how to create a soundscape as part of the

dramatisation of a story: Creating a Soundscape Exemplar.doc.

Stage 4: Scoring

12. On the basis of the above explorations/improvisations, students select their most effective material

and discard the ineffective material;

13. Students find a way of recording or notating the selected vocal and physical actions (movement,

dialogue, songs, soundscape, etc.);

14. Students design and create any required costumes, puppets and props.

Stage 5: Rehearsing

15. Students rehearse the vocal and physical actions of the performance. The French word for rehearsal

is “répetition”. In other words, this stage of the creative process involves a ‘drilling’ of the actions of

the performance in order to free the performer’s attention to focus on their presence and the

qualities in vested in their actions (intentions, feelings and imagery).

Stage 6: Performance

16. Students perform the devised work on site for invited spectators (other students, teachers, parents,

VIP).

During the various stages of the devising process the teacher/facilitator encourages the students to

incorporate cultural elements, knowledge and expressions as much as possible.

LINKS

Linking the various activities to The New Zealand Curriculum – essential learning areas Ngā Toi/The Arts, MoE initiatives, EOTC principles, and the values of tohungatanga, whanaungatanga, rangatiratanga, manaakitanga, kotahitanga, ūkaipō.Incorprorating culturally responsiveness practice.The module addresses the following specific skills: leadership & collaboration (rangatiratanga); mutual respect (manaakitanga); planning, managing, executing and reporting a creative project; self-directed learning; time management; managing a small budget; safety outside the classroom; problem-solving; connecting with the enviornment; identifying tangible and intangible dimensions of a location; creating space for culturally responsiveness; deepening participants’ understanding of the Māori worldview (Te Ao Mārama).

References:

Bicât, Tina and Chris Baldwin. Devised and Collaborative Theatre. Ramsbury: The Crowood Press, 2002. Print.

Caldwell, Brian and Tanya Vaughan. Transforming Education Through the Arts. London & New York: Routledge,

2012. Print.

Fischer-Lichte, Erika. The Transformative Power of Performance. New York: Routledge, 2008. Print

McAuley, Gay. “Local Acts: Site-specific Performance Practice: Introduction,” About Performance. No. 7 (2007):

7-11. Print.

Royal, Charles. Matiu Wānanga. Matiu Somes Island. January 31 2009. Keynote address.

Royal, Charles. Te Whare Tapere: Towards a Model for Māori Performing Arts. Wellington: Department of

Theatre and Film, VUW, 1998. PhD thesis. Print.

Royal, Te Ahukaramū Charles (Ed.). The Woven Universe: Selected Writings of Rev. Māori Marsden. Otaki:

Estate of Rev, Māori Marsden, 2003. Print.

Royal, Charles. Exploring Indigenous Knowledge. Paper delivered for “The Indigenous Knowledges Conference

– Reconciling Academic Priorities with Indigenous Realities”, Victoria University. Ōrotokare. 25 June

2005. Web. 13 March 2010. http://www.orotokare.org.nz/Default.aspx?page=2668

Royal, Te Ahukaramū Charles. “Why Methodology? Kaupapa Māori and Mātauranga Māori Presentation”.

Rangahau. 19 November 2006. Web. 24 Oct. 2010. http://www.rangahau.co.nz/methodology/59/.

Royal, Te Ahukaramū Charles. “Ōrotokare: Towards a New Model for Indigenous Theatre and Performing

Arts.” Performing Aotearoa: New Zealand Theatre and Drama in an Age of Transition. Ed. Marc Maufort

and David O’Donnell. Brussels: P.I.E. Peter Lang S.A., 2007. Print.

Royal, Charles. Personal interview. 24 October 2010. Email.

Van Dijk, Bert. Devised Theatre. Wellington: Printlink, 2011. (ISBN: 978-0-473-19077-4)

Van Dijk, Bert. Towards a New Pacific Theatre. Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag, 2011.

Van Dijk, Bert. “Audience Mobility in Site-specific Performance”, Contemporary Theatre Review (currently

under peer review).