Pukapuka Hanganga Reo Matatini: Ngā Kōrero o Te Aitanga a Mahaki Iwi

Project Summary

“Pukapuka Hanganga Reo Matatini: Ngā Kōrero o Te Aitanga a Mahaki” are a set of children’s books that follow a structured literacy approach to the teaching and learning of reading, writing and spelling. Importantly, these pukapuka are also based on popular pūrākau of Te Aitanga a Mahaki iwi. These books were created through collaboration with Structured Literacy te reo Māori expert, Mahina Selby-Law of Mahi by Mahi Ltd. Moreover, the illustrations for the pukapuka were provided by rangatahi from Te Kura ā Rohe o Te Karaka. 

These pukapuka are designed to support neurodiversity, by teaching tamariki through a structured and systematic approach, that also strengthens their connection to their tipuna and kōrerō ā hapū/iwi.

These pukapuka are a product of a larger research project titled, “Tikanga and Mātauranga Māori paramount in effective speech language therapy for tamariki and whānau Māori”. This project was led by Nicky-Marie Kohere-Smiler, with co-investigators Dr Karen Brewer, Prof Suzanne Purdy and Ms Marie Malone. It was jointly funded by Cure Kids, A Better Start, and TLRI.  

The end-users of these pukapuka are kaiako, whānau and tamariki aged 5-8 years old, in years 1-3 who attend kura kaupapa Māori, rūmaki reo Māori unit/classroom and can also be circulated amongst younger children to support story telling/pūrākau sessions at mat times in Kōhanga Reo and Puna Reo Māori.

Project Lead

Dr Karen Brewer, Whakatōhea, Ngaiterangi, University of Auckland