As Tama-nui-te-Rā (personification of the sun) moves away from the whare (house) of Hine Takurua (personification of winter) and closer to Hine Raumati (personification of summer), we move into kōanga (spring). Īnanga (whitebait) are running, rākau (trees) are blossoming, putiputi (flowers) are blooming, and pī (bees) and pēpeke (insects) are buzzing. The kōwhai flower is one of the many tohu (signs) of kōanga. It attracts tūī, korimako, and pī, and is a sign of the new life that can be seen throughout the whēnua (land), awa (rivers), and moana (ocean). This is the time of regrowth, rebirth, and renewal.
The kupu (word) kōanga denotes the digging season and comes from the kupu kō, which refers to the Māori digging tool and the action of digging. Kōanga is the digging and planting season. This was and is still known as the time of mahi (work), especially in the māra (garden). It is also a time to reflect on the long winter months and the growth that has taken place and to wānanga (meet and discuss) and create plans for the future. It is a time to acknowledge Papatūānuku (Earth mother) and thank her for all the taonga (treasures) she provides.
Everything and everyone becomes energised in kōanga. Tāwhirimātea (atua of the weather) brings dramatic shifts with the longer, warmer days. Te aitanga pēpeke (the insect world) becomes more active with their mahi of pollinating and dispersing seeds and nourishing the soil. The tamariki (children) of Tāne Mahuta (atua of the forests and birds) burst forth with new life, sounds, and colour.
As kaitiaki (caretakers) of te taiao (natural environment), it is our role to help in the mahi of kōanga. We start by noticing what is waking up. How are Papatūānuku and her tamariki responding to the longer, warmer days? Here are some playful activities we can do with our tamariki and rangatahi to participate in the bounties of kōanga:
- Revisit the whakaaro (ideas) discussed over takurua (winter) and bring life to them. Plan kēmu (games) and adventures for afterschool as the days become longer.
- Measure the growth that has taken place in your tamariki over takurua and celebrate that growth. What physical, mental, and emotional changes have occurred in this time?
- Kākano in the mahi māra (garden). Kōanga is the time to prepare the soil and plant seeds. Research what is best planted at this time and begin seeding your māra. Connect to the maramataka (Māori lunar calendar – a planting and fishing monthly almanac) by researching when the best times are for planting and act accordingly. Take pictures of your seedlings as they grow and create a chart of the growth of their lifecycle.
- Identify tohu (symbols) of kōanga such as the blossoms emerging from the sleepy branches of the trees. Make a scrapbook of the blossoms and identify their Māori and Pākehā names. Keep track of the changes that the seasons bring to the plants.
- Create art that represents and celebrates kōanga incorporating the colours and vibrance of this season.
- See if you can identify īnanga in the awa and learn about them through observation. What else is happening to the awa at this time? Create drawings that highlight the changes of the awa in kōanga. If you are going fishing, check the maramataka for the best times and learn more about using sustainable fishing practices to ensure the health of our tamariki of the moana and awa.
- Note how other creatures are responding to kōanga – pēpeke, manu (birds), farm animals, sea creatures. How are they interacting and supporting one another at this time? Create a web of connections that show how they relate to one another.
There are so many ways to play with kōanga! Please share with us your stories of play and adventure that might inspire others.
Māori to English Glossary – Te Aka Māori Dictionary
- Awa: river, stream, creek, canal, gully, gorge, groove, furrow
- Īnanga: inanga, whitebait, Galaxias maculatus – a small silvery-white native fish with a slender body. Found in streams, rivers, lakes, swamps and pools throughout the coastal regions of Aotearoa/New Zealand up to 215 km inland. Forms small to large schools. Maximum size 190 mm. Adults mature at 1 year and migrate downstream on new or full moons to spawn when the spring tide floods marginal vegetation. Eggs are left amongst the vegetation out of the water and hatch at the next spring tide.
- Kaitiaki: trustee, minder, guard, custodian, guardian, caregiver, keeper, steward
- Kākano: seed
- Kēmu: game, match
- Kō: digging stick – wooden implement for digging
- Kōanga: planting time, spring
- Kupu: word, vocabulary, saying, talk, message, statement, utterance, lyric
- Mahi: to work, do, perform, make, accomplish, practise, raise (money); work, job, employment, trade (work), practice, occupation, activity, exercise, operation, function
- Manu: bird – any winged creature including bats, cicadas, butterflies, etc
- Māra: garden, cultivation
- Maramataka: almanac, Māori lunar calendar, calendar – a planting and fishing monthly almanac. For most tribes the lunar months began with the new moon, but for some with the full moon (Rākaunui). The start of each month was aligned to the morning rising of particular stars. The maramataka names are similar for most tribes, but the order may vary from tribe to tribe.
- Moana: sea, ocean, large lake
Pēpeke: insect, beetle - Pī: bee
- Putiputi: flower
- Rākau: tree, stick, timber, wood, spar, mast, plant – not normally used before the names of trees or plants
- Taiao: world, Earth, natural world, environment, nature, country
- Takurua: winter
- Tamariki: children – normally used only in the plural
- Taonga: treasure, anything prized – applied to anything considered to be of value including socially or culturally valuable objects, resources, phenomenon, ideas and techniques.
- Tohu: sign, mark, symbol, emblem, token, qualification, cue, symptom, proof, directions, company, landmark, distinguishing feature, signature
- Wānanga: to meet and discuss, deliberate, consider
- Whakaaro: thought, opinion, plan, understanding, idea, intention, gift, conscience
- Whare: house, building, residence, dwelling, shed, hut, habitation
- Whēnua: land
IPA Aotearoa NZ is a branch of the International Play Association (IPA World) and is a non-governmental organisation that exists to promote the child’s right to play, their way.
