Te Ao o Taonga Puoro - Worksheets

This page offers a number of worksheets that teachers can use to support the live presentation of Bob's schools programme 'Te Ao o Taonga Puoro'.

The Manu Cacophony

Here's a fun worksheet where you can explore the sounds of actual manu (birds) with the manu sounds made by Bob on his karanga manu.

Here's some game suggestions:

  • Match the bird sounds to the photographs.
  • Which sound is real and which is Bob?
  • Match the instrument photos to the sound and/or the bird photos.

Ruru

Weka

Riroriro

Korimako

Credits:

Department of Conservation for the manu sounds and New Zealand Birds Online for the bird photographs - copyright Graeme Taylor, Adam Clarke, Kevin B Agar, Peter Frost - restricted use of audio and bird photographs as specified here: https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/copyright

Musical Match Making

In this worksheet students can match the name of the instrument to its sound, its photograph and its description. I've included a PDF of a set of cards that can be printed off, so the exercise can be done in class or could be generated from this online resource. Eight of the instruments used in the programme are used for this worksheet.

Tumutumu

This instrument is hit and is a member of the Papatūānuku whānau. It can be made from two pieces of wood, stone or bone. Long ago these instruments were used to help people to remember words that were being taught by ear.

Porotiti

This instrument is spun on a string by pulling your arms apart. It is a member of the Tāwhririmātea whānau and was played over people, especially children, when they had colds  as it would ease congestion.

Hue Puruhau

This instrument is hit and is a member of the Hine Pū Te Hue whānau and is made from a gourd. Hine Pū Te Hue brought peace amongst her brothers and sisters following conflict over the separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku.

Poi Awhiowhio

This instrument is swung on a string and is a member of the Hine Pū Te Hue whānau. It has a very peaceful sound and was used long ago to attract birds as they would think it sounded like a moth or butterfly.

Pūtatara

This instrument is a member of the Tangaroa whānau. It consistes of a large seashell and can be blown with the tāne (male) voice as well as the wāhine (female) voice. When the shell is held up to the ear, you can hear the sea.

Pūtōrino

This instrument is a member of the Hine Raukatauri whānau. Hine Raukatauri was the atua of flute music and loved her flute so much she went to live inside it. This instrument has many voices, including the wāhine voice, the tāne voice and the child's voice.

Kōauau

This instrument is a member of the Hine Raukatauri whānau. It has three fingers holes and is blown from one end. On the blowing end you can see a carved face as the player needs to hongi with the instrument and share breath to make its sound.

Karanga Ruru

This instrument is a member of the Tāne whānau of instruments. Tāne cloaked Papatūānuku in a wonderful clock of greenery, which we know as the ngahere (forest) and he populated the forest with manu (birds). This instrument sounds like a Ruru (Morepork).

Download a PDF of printable cards by clicking on this link:

Music Match Making Cards

Make an Instrument

Here's how to make two of the instruments used in the programme.

Make a Kōauau

Detailed instructions are discussed in the video above and a list of materials and tools are noted below.

Here's an outline of the construction technique:

The easiest way to make a kōauau is to use a piece of bamboo. Find a piece which has an internal diameter of say 12mm to 15mm and select a length between the nodes. What you have at this point is a tube.

Saw the tube to around 120mm to 150mm long.

Next up clean out any paper or debris inside the tube with a round file or some sandpaper glued to a dowel.

Then you need to sand each end, working the outside edge so that it curves around to meet the inside edge. At this point the instrument should play.

Then you drill three holes, 3mm to 4mm in diameter, along the top surface aligned to the kunckles on your index finger. It's best then to countersink the holes to make them easier to feel.

Finally you can finish by sanding the outside smooth and perhaps coating it with a food-safe oil.

Materials and Tools:

  • A length of bamboo
  • A vice to secure the work
  • Pencil for marking
  • A hand saw
  • Sandpaper
  • Drill with bit
  • Countersink bit
  • Oil for finishing

Make a Porotiti

Detailed instructions are discussed in the video above and a list of materials and tools are noted below.

Here's an outline of the construction technique:

The easiest way to make a porotiti is to use a piece of plywood or MDF around 5mm thick. These instructions are to make a porotiti shaped like an elipse.

Mark a centre line on the vertical axis and then a perpendicular line at right angles to this line at the half-way point down the vertical axis. Mark two points equi-distant on the horizontal line which indicate the width of the porotiti.

Next draw the shape of the porotiti using the top/bottom and side marks as a guide.

Saw around this shape using a coping saw or bandsaw and tidy up the edges with sandpaper.

Next find the balance point on the vertical and horizonal axes by balancing on the edge of a rule and re-mark the axis lines if necessary.

Mark two drill points 5mm from the balance point (10mm apart) on the vertical axis. Drill with a 2mm bit and countersink.

Loop through a piece of line and tie off so that the looped length is a comfortable arms length apart.

Materials and Tools:

  • A piece of 5mm MDF or plywood
  • A vice to secure the work
  • Pencil for marking
  • A rule for marking and balancing
  • A coping saw (or bandsaw)
  • Sandpaper
  • Drill with bit
  • Countersink bit
  • String

Watch a Video

Along with Brian Flintoff, Robin Slow, Ariana Tikao, Solomon Rahui and Holly Tikao-Weir, Bob has created music for several exhibitions of carvings by Brian and paintings by Robin. You may enjoy sharing these with your students. Simply click on a video below to view.