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Te hingengaro

This wānanga wānanga To meet and discuss Maori | Verb introduces ‘te hinengaro hinengaro Mind, thought. Maori | Noun ’. It gives whānau an opportunity to learn and share their knowledge about what’s happening in baby’s brain, and to realise how critical the early development of te hinengaro is to baby’s future.

Taumauri – Mana tangata

The underlying philosophy of this wānanga is based on the Āhuru Mōwai Āhuru Mōwai Calm place, sheltered haven Maori | Noun principle mana tangata mana tangata Power and status accrued through one's leadership talents, human rights, mana of people Maori | Noun . This means encouraging whānau to create an environment where their children are continuously affirmed for who they are, their unique personalities, talents and characteristics.

Tika and pono

Learn and use the words tika tika To be correct, true Maori | Verb (correct) and pono (belief), and embrace and uphold them in this wānanga.

Whakatuwhera whakatuwhera To open Maori | Verb , whakatau whakatau To decide, settle, prepare, determine, arbitrate, adjudicate Maori | Verb , mihimihi

Continue to build whanaungatanga whakawhanaungatanga Process of establishing relationships, relating well to others Maori | Noun within the group. Have refreshments ready for arrival, and spend 10 minutes having a cuppa and a catch up.

Open with a karakia and a waiata – your own or one of the ones provided.

Give an overview of the session. Emphasise that this hui will centre on the importance of:

• mātauranga mātauranga Learning, education, knowledge Maori | Noun – knowledge
• ngā whai wāhitanga – opportunities
• aotūroa aotūroa Nature, this world Maori | Noun – exploration
• tāruarua tāruarua Repetition, repeating Maori | Noun – repetition.

Talk with the group about the importance of the first 3 years of life for pēpi. This is a time of rapid brain development, when the foundation of brain pathways is laid for life.

Give an explanation and translation of ‘inengaro’ – ‘the place where thoughts are produced and kept’ (Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori – Māori Language Commission, 2008).

Choose 3 of the Tākai Whakatipu booklets. (external link)

• Ask whānau to find all the information about the brain, and make a note of what the information was.
• Give them a minute or so, then emphasise that they only have 1 minute left to complete it.
• Afterwards, talk about the reaction that occurred in their brain when pressure was added. Brainstorm on the whiteboard what they felt.

In pairs, using the Tākai Whakatipu booklets, ask participants to:

• choose the booklet(s) appropriate to the ages of their pēpi
• find the ‘Te hinengaro mīharo’ information in the booklets
• talk about this information and how it relates to pēpi.

Parents usually speak to their babies in the language they are most familiar with. For whānau who speak te reo, lots of repetition of Māori sounds and rhyming words help set language patterns in the brain.

If parents speak another language, baby learns the natural rhythms, sounds and speech patterns for that language. Whānau who speak two or more languages to their pēpi are giving their baby a special gift.

Expose baby to the natural world where they can experience the elements:

• Wai wai Water, juice, liquid Maori | Noun
• Sounds
• Te moana moana Sea, ocean, large lake Maori | Noun
• Te hau hau Wind, breeze, breath Maori | Noun
• Te one
• Te awa awa River, stream, creek Maori | Noun
• Te ua ua (-ina) To rain. Maori | Verb

Expose pēpi to familiar and some unfamiliar elements:

• Rangi nui – sky father
• Tama nui te rā – sun, stars, moon
• Papatūānuku – mother earth, sand, dirt, grass
• Tāwhiri mātea – wind, breeze, drizzle, clouds
• Tāne mahuta – under the trees, bare body (carefully), shade
• Tangaroa Tangaroa Atua (god) of the sea and fish Maori | Personal name – water, bathing, relaxing, cleaning, playing, healing
• Touch – mirimiri mirimiri Massage Maori | Noun
• Sound – wind, rain, music, Māori voices (pleasant and warm)
• Smell – body, new grass, beach, flowers (not the smell of smoke or alcohol in the air or on clothes)
• Sight – environment
• Warmth – warm bed, warm clothes, kai, physical care, consistency, routines, trusting relationships, friendliness, aroha.

Provide opportunities to learn concepts through everyday experiences:

• Horoi taputapu
• Mahi tī
• Whakahaere motokā
• Whakapaipai makawe
• Taitai niho
• Ngā whānau kararehe
• Making links to the universe through shapes and patterns.

Extend on what pēpi is seeing and saying using te reo Māori.

• Karakia, waiata and stories that have been repeated often become second-nature for tamariki.
• Introduce longer waiata and more complex stories, building their capacity to remember more.
• Mahi pāngarau pāngarau Mathematics Maori | Noun – promote Māori patterns in carving, tāniko tāniko To finger weave, embroider Maori | Verb and weaving.
• Teach tamariki the names of different patterns: poutama poutama Stepped pattern of tukutuku panels and woven mats Maori | Noun , pātiki pātiki Flounder Maori | Noun and koru koru Spiral shape, fern frond Maori | Noun , and show these patterns in the bush and in the sea. Practise drawing them.

Explain the following whakataukī whakataukī Proverb Maori | Noun and encourage whānau to have a short discussion about its meaning:

Make a puzzle or game using natural resources (shells, stones and leaves) or household recycled items (milk bottle tops, plastic drink bottles and pegs).

Think about what pēpi is learning with this puzzle or game. Are there any safety issues with it? Can it be cleaned?

Bring everyone together for closing and offer an opportunity for whānau to share their puzzle or game if they want, and an opportunity to give feedback on their experience of the session.

Reflect on the kaupapa of this hui – Tōku ao.

Close with a karakia and a waiata – your own or one of the ones provided.

• a variety of natural resources
• a variety of household recycled items
• PVA glue
• glue stick
• string
• sticky tape
• scissors
• other crafting materials