Uncovering Maori Culture through Artefacts

By Mrs Graves (Head of English)

On Friday 22nd September, students in Year 11 studying the novel The Whale Rider attended an online session run by The Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford. The talk focused on artefacts in the museum’s collection which could illuminate aspects of Maori culture and heritage for students, in support of their GCSE studies in English Literature. In their examination, students need to be able to explore how the context in which the text was produced impacts the reader’s understanding of key themes and ideas, so this presentation was extremely useful in allowing them to see real objects and think about how people might have used them.

In the interactive session students were able to see items such as a hei-tiki (an ornamental pendant worn by Maori people) and appreciate the beautiful and ornate carving of many wooden artefacts as well. By looking at something as simple as a canoe paddle, they were encouraged to think about how integral the presence of the sea is to many of the beliefs of the Maoris. Decorative items such as feather hair accessories were also displayed; through the consideration of how people might once have used items like feathers, fur and whale bone, students were also able to explore an ecological perspective of the novel, which is so important given the key theme of the fading connection between man and nature.

As well as exploring the items held by the museum, students were also encouraged to consider how they might have come to be in the possession of the museum in the first place. A thought-provoking aspect of the presentation was the exploration of the impact of Britain’s colonial past and relationships with countries like New Zealand and how museums may choose to rethink and reframe some of their displays in a more modern context.