Pā

Avalialble Term 2, 2010

Until the 1830's, intertribal warfare was an intergral part of Maori society. Pa design was based on traditional hand to hand combat , however with the introduction of the musket and the subsequent musket wars (1810-1830)  previously inpregnable pa were now vunerable to new weapon technology. As a result, the evolution of the pa began, with new challenges, such as the  New Zealand Land Wars, requiring Maori to develop some of the most complex and effective defences constructed anywhere inthe world in the late 19th century. The Pa education programme helps students to understand changes in pa construction and the effect that had on the place they live.  

The contents of each programme are constructed around the learning intentions of the teacher, however Pa education programmes may contain: 

• Site tours of local pa with national significance
• Large scale model of traditional pa
• Presentation on the evolution of the pa with the introduction of the musket
• Hands-on with the weapons that influenced pa design
• Discussion based around archival film and photographs
• Hands-on team activities on the basics of pa construction

The Pa education programme usually runs for 2 hours, but we are flexible to meet the needs of the classroom teacher.

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