Writing About Someone Else's River
A Year 11 student, Ana, is composing a new waiata for her school's kapa haka group. The waiata will be performed at the school's annual whānau evening. Ana wants to include a line about the local maunga and river, which are significant to the local iwi. Ana is not from that iwi; her family moved to the area three years ago. She has a mentor, a kaumātua from the local iwi, who agreed to help her, but he is away at a hui and cannot be reached before the composition is due. Ana has already written the line and the group has started learning it. The group's tutor says the reference is 'just a name' and that it will make the waiata feel more local. Ana is unsure.
1. What is the tikanga issue in Ana's composition, and why does it matter?
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The issue is that Ana, who is not from the local iwi, is using references to the local maunga and river in a waiata without confirmed permission or guidance from the iwi. Mountains and rivers are not just names; they are ancestors, boundaries, and identity markers for mana whenua. Using them can be seen as claiming a relationship that Ana does not have. It matters because the waiata will be performed publicly at the whānau evening, and the local iwi may be in the audience. The tutor's view that it is 'just a name' dismisses the significance. Ana's mentor had agreed to help, which shows she knew consultation was needed, but his absence does not remove the need. The issue is about respect for mana whenua and avoiding misrepresentation.
2. Recommend what Ana should do, given the deadline and the mentor's absence.
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Ana should not finalise the waiata with the local references until she has consulted. She could remove the specific line for now and replace it with a more general reference, or write about a place that is significant to her own whānau. She should tell the tutor that she is not comfortable using the local maunga and river without guidance, and ask for an extension or for the group to wait. She could also try to contact the mentor again, or ask another kaumātua from the local iwi for advice. If time is too short, the safest option is to omit the line. Performing the waiata without the line is better than risking disrespect. Ana can keep the line for a future version once she has permission. This shows she understands that consultation is part of composition, not an optional extra.