Waitangi Day marks what must surely be considered our nation’s most significant day of observance. Around the country, on this February 6 public holiday, events will be taking place to mark the occasion of the signing of the Waitangi Treaty in 1840, in The Bay of Islands. It’s a time to come together with family and community to learn and have fun. As a grandparent, there are so many creative, enjoyable ways you can help the grandies to do just this. Choose from some of the options below, to get you started!
Bake a Batch
Invite the children to join you in baking one (or all) of these traditional Māori breads. Takakau is a great one to begin with, especially if you don’t have a lot of time, because it uses baking powder rather than yeast. Paraoa Parai (fried bread) is best made with older children (think: hot oil), and for the chemistry-inclined, try Rawena, a sourdough bread made by fermenting, among other ingredients, a slurry of cooked potato (note: you will need to prepare the basic sourdough starter ahead of time). Tip: keep the softened butter and golden syrup handy!
Roll out Te Rākau
Te rakau (the sticks) are traditional wooden sticks used by Māori in rhythmic throwing and catching games. It was thought these games would increase dexterity and alertness in the men and boys who played them. Whether you create your own rakau from wooden dowel, or from rolled up magazines or newspapers, involve your grandchildren in making and painting them. For ideas on how to use your rakau, check here. Tip: have some rhythmic tunes or songs handy to accompany your rakau routine.
Learn a Waiata
Whether it’s a song introducing a few Māori words, or one sung entirely in te reo (see below this You Tube video for a translation), get your little ones up and active as they sing along. Don’t forget to check if your grandchildren already know a waiata (they may have learnt it at school or preschool), and if they do, be sure to ask them to perform it for you!
Rainy Day Reading
A holiday is no guarantee of fine weather, so head to the library, and arm yourself with picture books on Māori themes. Choose a variety from myths and legends to natural history. Don’t forget the older grandchildren, too. They will enjoy the likes of ‘Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi,’ a graphic novel by Toby Morris. Gavin Bishop’s Amazing Aotearoa Activity Book will provide hours of fun.
It’s Agreed!
Introduce the grandies to the concept of a written agreement by creating your own ‘historic document’. Come up with a fun agreement to write on it (such as a trip to the park in exchange for setting the table), and be sure to have everyone sign it, or ‘make their mark’.
Rock Up
In larger centres, Waitangi Day is filled with family-friendly events. Check out Facebook’s ‘events’ section or your local newspaper or community noticeboard for details. If nothing takes your fancy, head to the museum with the grandies in tow, and focus on Māori exhibits.
‘Hangi’ at Home
Invite family or friends around for a Māori food themed dinner. Children will enjoy helping to prepare an oven-baked ‘hāngī’ and mixing up hearty steamed puds. If you have access to flax, let the children weave flax placemats for the guests.
Waitangi Day is unique to Aotearoa – make the effort to celebrate it with your grandchildren.
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