The story of how Māori arrived in Aotearoa from Hawaiki, using our knowledge of the natural world to navigate.
The events surrounding the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between Māori and the British Crown.
The challenges Māori have faced as a result of colonisation and the ongoing work to reclaim our culture and identity.
Group Enrolment Enquiries
We offer discounts for bulk enrolments. If your organisation is interested in enrolling your team in our Shaping a Nation: Past to Present course, click the link below to fill out the form. Our team will be in touch to discuss the details.
The Explorers
Follow the story of Māori migration from Hawaiki, using our knowledge of the natural world to navigate across the Pacific Ocean to Aotearoa. We brought our culture, stories and names with us, embedding our past into our new home. Over centuries, we adapted to the landscapes and climate of Aotearoa, establishing new traditions and a society based on whakapapa – family connections. When European explorers like Abel Tasman and Captain James Cook arrived, our interest in learning more about the world grew. Sealers, whalers, and missionaries brought new technologies, ideas, and challenges, forever changing our way of life.
The Treaty
Learn about the origins of the Treaty of Waitangi, and the factors motivating Māori to sign. We faced many challenges as a result of European settlement, including introduced diseases, lawlessness of British settlers and pressure to sell our land. The drafting of the Treaty itself was rushed, and the Māori version signed by our ancestors had a different meaning to the English version. In the following years, the Crown broke its promises and our land was taken unfairly. Breaches of the Treaty led to the New Zealand Wars, with Māori fighting to protect our land and rights.
The Modern Day
Iwi across New Zealand had different experiences of colonisation, but land loss was a common theme. Land was taken by force or bought unfairly, and the Crown introduced new laws to make it easier to take land. By the 20th century, Māori had become impoverished and our population was shrinking, and we endured decades of hardship and marginalisation. Despite this, there was a continuous movement that is growing today, to reclaim our culture and improve outcomes for our people.
Meet The Tutors
Introducing Rocky and Mel, your kaiako for Shaping a Nation: Past to Present. They will guide you on a journey through history, sharing our stories in a series of informative and entertaining videos.
About He Kura
He Kura offers flexible, self-directed courses designed to help you build cultural intelligence (CQ) and grow your knowledge of the Māori world. Our approach is to help both individuals and organisations fully understand Māori history and context, knowing this is essential to working with Māori effectively.
In our experience, a series of in-person workshops is the best way to deliver this knowledge. We do this through our core CQ programme, which takes place over several months and encourages regular engagement. He Kura offers a flexible and affordable alternative for those who cannot make this commitment, but still want to take a meaningful first step on their journey.
Our long-term mission is to create a suite of resources that cover everything you need to know before engaging with Māori. For now, we are excited to present our first course, Shaping a Nation: Past to Present. It covers Māori history, including our arrival in Aotearoa and early encounters with Europeans, to the Treaty of Waitangi and its ongoing relevance today. The course is delivered through a series of short videos and multiple-choice quizzes, allowing you to learn at your own pace.