It encourages students to think critically about what has happened in their area and who is telling the stories.
But for many teachers, whose own education in Māori history involved learning myths, legends and a touch of Te Tiriti, the lack of knowledge of local stories could be a barrier.
The education team at MTG Hawke's Bay Tai Ahuriri have been working hard to find ways to support schools as they navigate these curriculum changes.
Last year, amid the chaos of Covid and closures, we had an influx of messages from kaiako (teachers) keen to visit our new exhibition, Kuru Taonga – Voices of Kahungunu.
During these visits, tamariki were both fascinated and horrified to discover that Ngāti Pārau were moved off their land to make way for a golf course, or that the pou carved for Karaitiana Takamoana's meeting house, to be built at Pākowhai, were taken to Otago Museum - and are now scattered around the world.
Back in the education suite, akōnga (students) reflected on their own whānau history and designed a pou, or tried their hand at using early Māori tools.
This year, we're excited to continue the important focus on teaching and learning local history.
We've been busy refreshing our programming to reflect the new histories curriculum, while also integrating a variety of digital technologies.
One of the highlights in 2022 will be our new programme: Battles of the Bay (Part One): the Musket Wars.
The tragic loss of the lives of New Zealanders who fought and died in battles on the other side of the world are well commemorated, but many know little of the wars fought at home.
At the beginning of the 19th century, musket wars raged across Aotearoa for 30 years, causing the highest casualties in our history.
With the trade in muskets, the nature of settling disputes changed dramatically. Northern iwi were the first to acquire them, creating an imbalance of power, and so the race was on and warfare spread like a wildfire from one end of the motu to the other.
Te Matau-a-Māui is rich in the history of these formative times and learning this helps students understand who we are today.
This learning can be followed by Battles of the Bay (Part Two), which will look at the unique land wars in Hawke's Bay.
Other new programmes on the cards this year include Stories of Hawke's Bay, Hangarau me te Māori: Māori and technology, a hikoi up Mataruahou and Historic Heretaunga – a hikoi around the Hastings CBD.
While the education team aims to provide programmes for students, we're never short of parents who, after a lesson on local history, say to us "I've lived here … and I never knew that".
If you're offered the opportunity to provide parent help for a trip to MTG, we encourage you to jump onboard.
Mai I te kōpae ki te urupa, tātou ako tonu ai.
From the cradle to the grave we are forever learning.
