NCEA Level 1 Tikanga-ā-Iwi common mistakes
NCEA Level 1 Tikanga-ā-Iwi · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
Writing answers that describe what happened in a source (a whakataukī, a pūrākau, a historical event) without explaining the tikanga principle it demonstrates.
Candidates treat the exam as a comprehension test and retell content, when the standard rewards showing understanding of the underlying concept and its application.
What to do instead
After every example, add a sentence beginning 'This shows that…' naming the principle (manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, kaitiakitanga, tapu/noa) and stating what it means in practice.
Using te reo Māori terms without glossing them or giving a working definition in the answer.
Candidates assume the marker shares their understanding, but assessment requires demonstrating conceptual grasp, and vague usage hides gaps.
What to do instead
On first use, write the term followed by a short definition in your own words and one example, e.g. 'kaitiakitanga - the obligation to care for and protect - for instance, guardianship of a local awa.'
Giving a single generic example (usually 'respect others') instead of a specific, localised or historical example.
Candidates memorise one safe phrase and reuse it for every question rather than selecting evidence that fits the specific context asked about.
What to do instead
Prepare a bank of three or four concrete examples (a named iwi practice, a specific hui, a particular environmental dispute) and choose the one that matches the question's context, explaining the link explicitly.
Confusing related concepts, such as tapu with 'forbidden', noa with 'secular', or mana with 'power' in a general sense.
English glosses from dictionaries and everyday usage are imprecise and candidates stop at the one-word translation rather than the Māori conceptual framework.
What to do instead
Build a comparison table for each pair of concepts with columns for definition, who holds it, how it is maintained or restored, and a correct example; revise from the table, not from single-word translations.
Answering only part of a multi-part question (for example explaining the practice but omitting the 'why it matters today' section).
Candidates write to the first prompt they notice and run out of time or attention before addressing the second and third parts.
What to do instead
Underline each directive in the question (describe, explain, discuss, evaluate) and number your paragraphs to match; before finishing, tick off each part to confirm it has been answered.
Writing personal opinion or emotional assertion ('it is very important to respect culture') without evidence or reasoning.
Candidates mistake sincerity for analysis, and opinion is easier to produce under time pressure than structured argument.
What to do instead
Use a claim–evidence–link structure: state the point, give a specific example or source, then explain how the evidence supports the point. Cut sentences that contain no evidence or reasoning.
Misreading the question's scope, for example answering about a national issue when the question asks about a specific iwi or rohe.
Candidates prepare broad general knowledge and apply it regardless of the specific context named in the question.
What to do instead
Before writing, circle the subject, the context, and the directive in the question; state your scope in the opening sentence so the marker can see you have addressed the right context.
Presenting a pūrākau or whakataukī as literal fact or as mere decoration, without discussing its function as a carrier of tikanga and mātauranga.
Candidates are unsure how to treat oral narrative in an academic answer and either literalise it or quote it without analysis.
What to do instead
Frame it explicitly: identify the source, state the principle it encodes, and explain how it guides behaviour or decision-making today; treat it as evidence with a purpose, not as illustration.
Ignoring the perspective of mana whenua or treating Māori knowledge as generic and pan-tribal.
Candidates generalise from one source and are unaware that tikanga varies by iwi, hapū and rohe, and that authority to speak on it is held locally.
What to do instead
Attribute claims to a source or group ('in this rohe', 'according to this iwi's account') and note where practices differ; avoid statements that assume one universal tikanga.
Spending too long on early questions and leaving extended-response answers unfinished or unplanned.
Candidates write without allocating time, and short-answer questions expand to fill the available time because they feel easier.
What to do instead
Before starting, assign a time budget per section based on marks, write a two-line plan for each extended answer, and practise under timed conditions so the pacing becomes habitual.