Essay competition 2011

Entry to the 2011 Ngārimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Fund Board Essay Competition is now open.

Guidelines

  1. Students must be in years 7 to 13 and of New Zealand Māori descent.
  2. All entries must be in hard copy format and stapled in the top left corner.
  3. Essays must either be typed, with 1.5 line spacing, or handwritten. Only legible essays will be accepted.
  4. The competition does not need to be run under examination conditions but entries must be the original work of the students. The use of research material is encouraged with any direct quotations attributed to the source; these must be listed in the space provided on the Entry Cover Sheet.
  5. Possible research resources include members of your whānau, hapū and iwi, local marae, libraries, Kia Mau teachers resource (www.kiamau.tki.org.nz), waiata and haka, Internet sites such as http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/, plays, films and documentaries, War memorials, letters, tāonga, artifacts and memorabilia held with whānau, museums and/or National Archives New Zealand http://archives.govt.nz.
  6. All entries must meet the following minimum word requirement:
    • 800 words for year 7 - 8 students;
    • 1,000 words for year 9 - 10 students; or
    • 1,200 words for year 11 - 13 students.
  7. The word count must appear on the student’s manuscript.
  8. Each essay entry must have a completed cover sheet attached.
  9. Entries close on 9 September 2011.

Sections

There are six sections:

  • Junior English and Junior Māori (years 7 and 8);
  • Intermediate English and Intermediate Māori (years 9 and 10); and
  • Senior English and Senior Māori (years 11 - 13).

Topics

Mātāmuri (Tau 7 and 8):

  1. Tēnā whakaarohia, kei te hīkoi tahi atu koutou ko te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru i Itari. Tuhia he reta ki tō whānau i te kāinga mō ō takatakahanga i tawhiti.

  2. Whiriwhiria tētahi whakaahua, pikitia rānei o tētahi āhuatanga o te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru. Whakamāramatia mai te hiranga o taua mahi i whakaahuatia rā, me te nui o te pānga ki a koe i tēnei rā.

  3. Kei te kohikohia, kei te rarangahia e Te Manatū Taonga ngā whakaahua o ngā hōia katoa o te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru. Whakamāramatia mai te take nui ki a koe kia maumaharatia rātau o te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru, te hua anō hoki o tēnei mahi ki ngā uri whakatipu.

Junior English (year 7 and 8):

  1. Imagine you are marching with the 28th Māori Battalion through Italy. Write a letter home to your whānau telling them about your experiences so far.

  2. Select a photo or image of an event relating to the 28th Māori Battalion. Explain the importance of the event when this photo was taken and the significance of this image for you today.

  3. The Ministry of Culture and Heritage, through the 28th Māori Battalion Website, is currently trying to collect and catalogue a photo of every soldier who served in the 28th Māori Battalion. Explain the importance for you in remembering those who served with the 28th Māori Battalion, and the value this holds for future generations.

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Mātāwaenga (Tau 9 and 10):

  1. A. He nui tonu te whai wāhitanga o ngā hapū Māori ki ngā mahi mō te pakanga. I tahuri katoa te tāne, te wahine, te tamariki ki te āwhina i te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru, ki te tuku i ngā momo āwhinatanga o te kāinga ki a rātau. Whakamāramatia mai ngā mahi a te hunga toutou ahi kā me te hiranga o taua mahi i te wā e ngaro atu ana ngā hōia ki rāwāhi.

  2. Whakamōhiotia mai tētahi o ngā tohu o te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru i puta ai, i toa ai rānei rātau i tētahi raru. Tēnā kōrerotia me pēhea e tiki atu ai tētahi rautaki pērā hei whakatau take mō te Māori, mō te iwi rānei i ēnei rā.

  3. Kei te kohikohia, kei te rarangahia e Te Manatū Taonga ngā whakaahua o ngā hōia katoa o te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru. Whakamāramatia mai te take nui ki a koe kia maumaharatia rātau o te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru, te hua anō hoki o tēnei mahi ki ngā uri whakatipu.

Intermediate (year 9 and 10):

  1. Māori communities were keen to do their part to assist with the war effort. Men, women and children alike, had to do their part to support the 28th Māori Battalion and provide them with the comforts of home. Explain the role of those who kept the home fires burning while the soldiers were overseas and why it was important.

  2. Identify a style or strategy that the 28th Māori Battalion used during WWII to overcome an issue or difficult situation. Discuss how a similar method or style might be used to address a current issue facing Māori or iwi today.

  3. The Ministry of Culture and Heritage, through the 28th Māori Battalion Website, is currently trying to collect and catalogue a photo of every soldier who served in the 28th Māori Battalion. Explain the importance for you in remembering those who served with the 28th Māori Battalion, and the value this holds for future generations.

Mātāmua (Tau 11 – 13):

  1. Nō te hokinga mai o te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru i te 23 o Hanuere, te tau 1946, ka whai kupu whakamutunga atu tō rātau rangatira, a Rutana Kānara Hēmi Hēnare ki a rātau, ka mea, ‘E hoki ki ō tātau maunga, ki ō tātau iwi, ki ō tātau marae. Heoi anō taku kupu whakamutunga ki a koutou katoa – me tū Māori, me tū Māori, me tū Māori.’ Ki ōu whakaaro he aha te tikanga o ēnei kupu, ā, whakamāramatia menā i tutuki rānei, kāore rānei?

  2. Nō te marama o Mei 2011, ka eke ki te whitu tekau tau mai i te Pakanga o Kiriti. I haere atu nā a Arthur Midwood, tētahi o ngā mōrehu hōia tokorua o taua pakanga e ora tonu ana, iwa tekau-mā-rua tau te pakeke, hei kanohi mō te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru ki ngā hui whakamaharatanga i taua moutere. Ki ōu nā whakaaro he aha i whai tikanga ai te Pakanga o Kiriti ki te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru, ā, he aha i tika ai kia haere atu tētahi hei kanohi mō taua ope ki aua hui whakamaharatanga?

  3. Kei te kohikohia, kei te rarangahia e Te Manatū Taonga ngā whakaahua o ngā hōia katoa o te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru. Whakamāramatia mai te take nui ki a koe kia maumaharatia rātau o te Ope Taua Rua Tekau-mā-waru, te hua anō hoki o tēnei mahi ki ngā uri whakatipu.

Senior (year 11 – 13):

  1. When the Māori Battalion returned to New Zealand on 23 January 1946 their commander, Lieutenant-Colonel James Hēnare, gave the following final command to his men: ‘Go back to our mountains, go back to our people, go back to our marae. But this is my last command to you all - stand as Māori, stand as Māori, stand as Māori.’ What do you think was meant by these words and explain whether or not you think they were fulfilled and why?

  2. May 2011 marked the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Crete. The 28th Māori Battalion was represented at the commemorative services on the island by 92 year old Arthur Midwood, one of two surviving Māori veterans of the battle. Why do you think the Battle of Crete is significant in the history of the Māori Battalion and why was it important for the unit to have a representative at those services?

  3. The Ministry of Culture and Heritage, through the 28th Māori Battalion Website, is currently trying to collect and catalogue a photo of every soldier who served in the 28th Māori Battalion. Explain the importance for you in remembering those who served with the 28th Māori Battalion, and the value this holds for future generations.

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Prize values

Prizes will be awarded to successful students based on the following:

1st 2nd 3rd
Junior Māori $600.00 $350.00 $150.00
Junior English $600.00 $350.00 $150.00
Intermediate Māori $800.00 $500.00 $250.00
Intermediate English $800.00 $500.00 $250.00
Senior Māori $1,000.00 $700.00 $350.00
Senior English $1,000.00 $700.00 $350.00

Prizes will be awarded to schools of successful students based on the following:

1st 2nd 3rd
Junior Māori $200.00 $100.00 $75.00
Junior English $200.00 $100.00 $75.00
Intermediate Māori $300.00 $150.00 $75.00
Intermediate English $300.00 $150.00 $75.00
Senior Māori $450.00 $200.00 $75.00
Senior English $450.00 $200.00 $75.00


Content last updated: 3 August 2011