"Celebrating Chinese Culture in the Bay of Plenty Schools" Written by Nick Dowson, Year 3/4 Teacher, Ōropi School. "How the Big Dipper and Matariki Shaped Two Ancient Cultures" Written by Fiona Yen, Facilitator, Tui Tuia | Learning Circle.
Celebrating Chinese Culture in the Bay of Plenty Schools
Written by Nick Dowson, Year 3/4 Teacher, Ōropi School.
Photo 2: Lion Dance demonstration at Ōropi School
On Tuesday 27th May, Ōropi School students enjoyed an exciting day of cultural exploration, participating in four captivating Kung Fu workshops facilitated by Tui Tuia, CLEC and the New Zealand Wu Shu Academy. Our Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 students were thrilled to learn about traditional Kung Fu movements and stances. They also loved the opportunity to explore the history of Martial Arts in China and thoroughly enjoyed practising a sequence of movements with iconic Kung Fu fans—an experience that combined discipline, coordination and fun!
The afternoon workshop focused on vibrant Lion Dance performances, involving a mixture of students from Years 3-8. They eagerly worked in small groups and learned how to coordinate movements that brought their lions to life. These hands-on experiences sparked curiosity and offered Ōropi students of all ages a meaningful insight into Chinese culture and traditions. These highly engaging workshops closely align with Ōropi School’s intercultural strategy, which also includes weekly Mandarin lessons, hosting Chinese student groups and taking our own students overseas to experience China first hand.
A huge thank you to our amazing facilitators Paula, Wei and George for providing such a memorable day of exciting cultural immersion. The workshops were intriguing, informative and supportive.
How the Big Dipper and Matariki Shaped Two Ancient Cultures Cultural
Written by Fiona Yen, Facilitator, Tui Tuia | Learning Circle
Across cultures, the stars have long guided human activity, helping people navigate oceans, mark time, and manage agricultural cycles. Two prominent star clusters, the Big Dipper and Matariki (the Pleiades), hold particular cultural and practical importance in Chinese and Māori traditions respectively.
In ancient China, the Big Dipper (Beidou Qixing) was central to both navigation and farming. Its movement across the sky was used to determine seasons and shape the lunar calendar. Farmers relied on the Dipper’s position to decide the best times for planting and harvesting. As its handle points to the North Star (Polaris), it also became a critical tool for navigation, guiding travellers and sailors across long distances.
In Māori culture, Matariki signals the start of the Māori New Year and carries strong agricultural meaning. The brightness and clarity of its stars were traditionally seen as predictors of the coming year’s harvest- a clear Matariki meant abundance, while dim stars warned of a lean year. Matariki was also part of a broader celestial navigation system, helping Māori explorers travel across the Pacific
While the Big Dipper offers a fixed point for orientation and Matariki is more seasonal in nature, both highlight a shared human connection to the stars. These clusters served not only practical purposes but also carried deep spiritual and cultural meanings. The Chinese used the Big Dipper in rituals to ensure harmony and good fortune, while for Māori, Matariki is a time of reflection, celebration, and renewal.
These traditions reveal a universal truth that, no matter where we come from, humanity has always looked to the sky for guidance, survival, and continues to find wisdom in the stars today.
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2025 - Chinese - Term 3 Newsletter Articles
Celebrating Chinese Culture in the Bay of Plenty Schools
Written by Nick Dowson, Year 3/4 Teacher, Ōropi School.
Photo 2: Lion Dance demonstration at Ōropi School
On Tuesday 27th May, Ōropi School students enjoyed an exciting day of cultural exploration, participating in four captivating Kung Fu workshops facilitated by Tui Tuia, CLEC and the New Zealand Wu Shu Academy. Our Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 students were thrilled to learn about traditional Kung Fu movements and stances. They also loved the opportunity to explore the history of Martial Arts in China and thoroughly enjoyed practising a sequence of movements with iconic Kung Fu fans—an experience that combined discipline, coordination and fun!
The afternoon workshop focused on vibrant Lion Dance performances, involving a mixture of students from Years 3-8. They eagerly worked in small groups and learned how to coordinate movements that brought their lions to life. These hands-on experiences sparked curiosity and offered Ōropi students of all ages a meaningful insight into Chinese culture and traditions. These highly engaging workshops closely align with Ōropi School’s intercultural strategy, which also includes weekly Mandarin lessons, hosting Chinese student groups and taking our own students overseas to experience China first hand.
A huge thank you to our amazing facilitators Paula, Wei and George for providing such a memorable day of exciting cultural immersion. The workshops were intriguing, informative and supportive.
How the Big Dipper and Matariki Shaped Two Ancient Cultures Cultural
Written by Fiona Yen, Facilitator, Tui Tuia | Learning Circle
Across cultures, the stars have long guided human activity, helping people navigate oceans, mark time, and manage agricultural cycles. Two prominent star clusters, the Big Dipper and Matariki (the Pleiades), hold particular cultural and practical importance in Chinese and Māori traditions respectively.
In ancient China, the Big Dipper (Beidou Qixing) was central to both navigation and farming. Its movement across the sky was used to determine seasons and shape the lunar calendar. Farmers relied on the Dipper’s position to decide the best times for planting and harvesting. As its handle points to the North Star (Polaris), it also became a critical tool for navigation, guiding travellers and sailors across long distances.
In Māori culture, Matariki signals the start of the Māori New Year and carries strong agricultural meaning. The brightness and clarity of its stars were traditionally seen as predictors of the coming year’s harvest- a clear Matariki meant abundance, while dim stars warned of a lean year. Matariki was also part of a broader celestial navigation system, helping Māori explorers travel across the Pacific
While the Big Dipper offers a fixed point for orientation and Matariki is more seasonal in nature, both highlight a shared human connection to the stars. These clusters served not only practical purposes but also carried deep spiritual and cultural meanings. The Chinese used the Big Dipper in rituals to ensure harmony and good fortune, while for Māori, Matariki is a time of reflection, celebration, and renewal.
These traditions reveal a universal truth that, no matter where we come from, humanity has always looked to the sky for guidance, survival, and continues to find wisdom in the stars today.
