Paikea

Paikea

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about interpreting the effect of visual techniques.
 

 
Part 1 The purpose of this task is to identify visual techniques and describe how they add meaning to a poem.
The tukutuku patterns below come from the book 'Paikea' by Robyn Kahukiwa.
 
a)
This tukutuku pattern suggests thunder and lightning.
 
Describe two ways it does this:
 
1.
 
 
 
2.
 
 
b)
This tukutuku pattern suggests sunshine and a calm day.
 
Describe two ways it does this:
 
1.
 
 
 
2.
 
 
c)
The illustration makes us feel trapped.
How does it do this?
 
Describe two ways it does this:
 
1.
 
 
 
2.
 
 
The words and kowhaiwhai patterns below come from the same book.
 
Paikea rode through fierce storms and
thunder and lightning,
 
through sunshine and
calm seas,
 
and huge waves and heavy rain.
 
 
 
d)  Describe two ways the artist has changed the kowhaiwhai designs to show the changes in the weather and the seas.
 
1.
 
 
 
2.
 
 
e)  How does the middle design show that the sea is calm? Explain two ways it shows the sea is calm.
 
1.
 
 
 
2.
 
 
 
Part 2
The purpose of this task is to use the visual techniques explored in Part 1 to communicate new ideas, and to explain how you have done this.
1. Your task is to draw a design that illustrates a sentence about the sky (using tukutuku patterns), and a sentence about the land or the sea (using kowhaiwhai patterns).
 
2. You can use the sentences in the box below, or write your own pair in the space.
Land or sea sentences Sky sentences
From deep within, the earth rumbled. The volcano spat rocks into the air. The sky burst into fire.
Forests cloaked the land in shades and shapes of green. Rain fed the land and all life upon it.
The sea swarmed with life. Birds flocked and filled the sky.
New shoots burst from beneath the soil, out into the sunlight. The sun beamed down, welcoming the new life.
The waves clashed, each one trying to dominate the other. Clouds gathered, hanging menacingly close to the raging seas.
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
3. Choose a pair of sentences. Think about the shapes, colours and movement that would best illustrate each sentence, and how you could put them together visually.
 
4. Use the following planning and self-assessment table to help you.
 
Write your sky sentence:

 
 
 
 

 

 Draw a plan of your sky's tukutuku pattern:

 
 
 
 

 

 When you have finished, explain how your design shows the idea and mood in your sentence:

 
 
 
 

 
Write your land or sea sentence:

 
 
 
 

 

 Draw a plan of your land or sea's  pattern:

 
 
 
 

 

 When you have finished, explain how your design shows the idea and mood in your sentence:

 
 
 
 

 
Feedback from someone in your class
Impact: How well are the visual techniques combined to communicate an idea and mood?
 

 

Concept: How clear are the written explanations of the visual techniques?

 

 

What other ideas are shown in this presentation, and how you would explain them:

 

 

Signed: ________________________________
Task administration: 

This resource uses particular pages from 'Paikea' by Robyn Kahukiwa, published by Penguin Books. 

  • Part 1 is the viewing part -  thinking critically and exploring language.
  • Part 2 is the presenting part - exploring language and processing information.

This task can be completed with pencil and paper.

Prior teaching needed

Students would benefit from explicit teaching about the visual techniques of movement, shape, and symbol before attempting this task. Other ARB resources focusing on these techniques are:

Students who have not studied Māori art forms would also benefit from an introduction to them before attempting this task:

  • Tukutuku are woven lattice work designs traditionally found on the walls of a Māori meeting house. (In Robyn Kahukiwa's book used in this resource, the tukutuku patterns represent the sky.)
  • Kōwhaiwhai are painted rafter patterns also associated with the Māori meeting house. (In this book, they represent the sea.)
  • Also, see Other resources.

Part 1

It is recommended that the whole book is viewed and read, so that students are familiar with the text.The probable origins and representations of the kōwhaiwhai and the tukutuku in this resource are given below. The notes are intended to aid teachers' knowledge and understandings, not as definitive answers to give to students.

Written Text Kōwhaiwhai Tukutuku
(Paikea rode) through fierce storms and thunder and lightning, Kaperua, from Tai Rawhiti, represents things doubled. Pātiki, design comes from the flounder, represents hospitality, according to Ngāti Porou tradition. Also the Māori name for a group of stars near the Milky Way - the "Coal-Sack".
through sunshine and calm seas, and huge waves and heavy rain. Paikea rode on a whale. The whale saved him. Ngaru, from Ngati Kahungunu, design represents the cutting of the waves by the waka. Mangopare, from Aotearoa, design comes from the hammerhead shark, represents strength and power. Mumu Wamu, can represent board games, sections being alternately filled with kaokao (bend or side of the ribs), represents sides and arms of warriors doing the haka. Roimata Toroa, Albatross tears, represent disaster in war, death or catastrophe.

Part 2

Part 2 is an independent task. It will need introducing and initial support. The focus of Part 2 is not on artistic or technical expertise, but on communicating ideas and messages. Teachers could facilitate this process by providing opportunities for students to orally describe their work, prior to or instead of attempting a written explanation.

Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
English, Making meaning, Viewing
Keywords: 
movement, shape, symbols, static image, comprehension, mood, māori legend, pūrākau, tukutuku, kowhaiwhai, work samples, analysis
Description of task: 
In Part 1, students interpret how the visual techniques used in the presentation of a Māori legend support the meaning of the written text. In Part 2, students are assessed on their ability to communicate and explain their use of visual techniques. Annotated student work samples using Part 2 are provided.
Answers/responses: 
  Y7 & Y9 (04/2005)
a) Students describe any 2 ways the pattern suggests lightning and thunder. For example, the pattern is:

  • big /it's like an explosion, like lightning when it takes over the sky, or like thunder when it reverberates.
  • made up of jagged/sharp lines, like lightning/ It moves out/across like lightning does.
  • changing/ Its shades go bright then dark like it does when there is lightning.
 
2 ideas1 idea

 2 ideas1 idea

 Y7Very difficultModerate

Y9ModerateVery easy
b) Students describe any 2 ways the pattern suggests a sunny, calm day. For example, the pattern:

  • looks like fluffy clouds, which is how clouds look on a fine/peaceful/calm day.
  • is made up of wavy lines that look like heat rays.
  • feels open, like the sky on a calm/fine day/ It's a simple/orderly/soothing/soft pattern.
 
2 ideas1 idea

 2 ideas1 idea

 Y7DifficultModerate

Y9DifficultVery easy
c) Students describe any 2 ways the pattern suggests heavy rain. For example, the pattern is:

  • repetitive (like incessant rain).
  • falling down/coming straight down like heavy rain does.
  • filling the whole sky like heavy rain does/dense.
  • big/heavy/thick lines (looks like heavy rain).
 
2 ideas1 idea

 2 ideas1 idea

 Y7Very difficultModerate

Y9DifficultVery easy
d) Students describe any 2 ways the artist changes the kowhaiwhai to show the changes in the weather and seas. For example, the changes are in the:

  • sizes of the kowhaiwhai/the wave sizes gets bigger and smaller.
  • amounts of black and white/density of the lines /there is more white, suggesting more surf/waves.
  • overlapping of the kowhaiwhai, showing wave upon wave, suggesting plunging/wild seas.
  • addition of more detail suggests more activity.
 
2 ideas1 idea

 2 ideas1 idea

 Y7Very difficultModerate

Y9DifficultEasy
e) Students explain any 2 ways the design shows that it is calm. For example, the design:

  • reflects itself (horizontally), showing how calm it is/nothing disturbs the surface.
  • is even, it repeats itself, is balanced/harmonious, suggesting calm.
  • is smaller/neater/it's a more compact design than the others.
  • moves backwards and forwards, suggesting calm/the ebb and flow of currents.
 
2 ideas
1 idea

 2 ideas

1 idea
Y7
Very difficult
Easy

Y9

Difficult

Very easy
Diagnostic and formative information: 

See below for the annotated student work samples from Part 2 that demonstrate the communication of ideas. Students and teachers could use these to reflect on while working on this resource.

Alternative assessment approaches:

  • Part 2 could be assessed using The Matrix for Visual Language, Presenting: Static and Moving Images (from the National Exemplars).
  • Part 2 complements a visual arts exemplar 'A Strip of Aotearoa', (see Other resources below), so this resource could also lead to a visual arts assessment as well as being a visual language assessment.
Paikea student exemplar 1 Paikea student exemplar 2 Paikea student exemplar 3