Mātauranga Māori constitutes concepts and principles that are richly detailed, complex, and fundamental to Māoridom. It is important to remember that the practice of these are wider and more varied than their use within the proposed NCEA Achievement Standards and supporting documentation.

We also recognise that the cultures, languages, and identities of the Pacific Islands are diverse, varied, and unique. Therefore the Pacific concepts, contexts, and principles that have been incorporated within NCEA Achievement Standards may have wide-ranging understandings and applications across and within the diversity of Pacific communities. It is not our intention to define what these concepts mean but rather offer some ways that they could be understood and applied within different subjects that kaiako and students alike can explore.

The intent of the Standard

This Standard is about demonstrating understanding of how music concepts within music are shaped or influenced by the context in which the music is created, or the context in which it is intended to be performed. Ākonga will study music from a Māori context and an additional context, exploring how music is connected to, for example, society, environment, or culture. Assessment will flow out of a teaching and learning programme rich in diverse listening activities and discussions about how and why music concepts are shaped and applied to give music created in different contexts its unique sound.

Ākonga will develop an awareness of music concepts that are significant within music pieces. Music concepts are the building blocks of music. These can range from melody, rangi, rhythm and metre, texture, hā, and tonality, through to compositional tools and expressive devices, such as dynamics and phrasing, repetition, sequence, and the use of riff or ostinato.

Māori music concepts are embedded in mātauranga Māori, the bodies and systems of knowledge within te ao Māori. These concepts encompass a vast range of musical forms and modes and inform contemporary practice. They range from mōteatea and haka, through to taonga puoro, te reo Māori, and the use of the whole body to communicate meaning. Concepts are guided by tikanga and are embodied in whakapapa, such as the origins and evolution of the music that can acknowledge mana whenua.

Through their study of music, ākonga can expand their understanding of how and why various music concepts are shaped or expressed in particular ways. This will build understanding of how music is not created in a vacuum but rather is part of a broader whakapapa. For ākonga, this awareness may help to inform their creative engagement as they move forward in their own music-making.

This Achievement Standard is closely connected to the following Big Ideas:

• music is an expression of, and a way of connecting with, culture, identity, place, and time 
• music expresses emotions and communicates ideas and intent 
• music evokes emotions and responses.

And to the following Significant Learning, where ākonga will:

• understand how diverse contexts inform creative musical output  
• explore how music styles from different contexts are expressed in unique ways through combining and shaping music concepts 
• experience how music can communicate stories, knowledges, and ideas    
• develop insights into how te ao Māori concepts such as ihi, wehi, and wana are experienced in Māori music contexts 
• explore visual representation styles and aural systems to preserve or pass music on.  

Making reliable judgements

Ākonga and kaiako will collaboratively select music that has not already been studied in class. To achieve this Standard, ākonga will describe music concepts that are significant to the music, which give the music its unique or characteristic sound. They will also describe contexts that are relevant to the music at the time that it was being composed and/or intended to be performed.

At higher levels of achievement, discussions could include explaining how local environments, social experiences, histories, and iwi connections may have influenced instruments, musical features, themes, or other aspects of the music. Ākonga may also draw conclusions around the significance of the relationships between the music concepts and their contexts, such as how they combine to express the overall style, meaning, or impact of the music.

Collecting evidence

To prepare for this Standard, ākonga can explore a range of music concepts found in different styles of music. They will select music to study and gather evidence towards the Standard. Ākonga will then create their report, ensuring that the best evidence is included in their submission for this Standard.

Ākonga can draw upon a range of materials that would support the understanding needed to engage with and complete the assessment. Wānanga with peers, whānau, and teachers, as well as engaging with other research, is acceptable in the building of knowledge and understanding. However, their submitted work must be their own.

Possible contexts

This Standard explores contexts from te ao Māori, Aotearoa New Zealand, the Pacific, and the wider world. Ākonga can consider their own tūrangawaewae and cultural contexts.

Music from a Māori context would be created by Māori and via a mātauranga Māori lens. It may be in a te ao Māori form such as waiata tāwhito or haka, or it may be a contemporary instrumental piece or waiata that contains kaupapa Māori and/or integrates te reo Māori or taonga puoro.

Because Māori music forms, whether contemporary or more traditional, carry mana and mauri, engagement should be guided by tikanga. This allows ākonga to safely navigate lyrical and musical parameters. Tikanga also requires an awareness of the whakapapa of the music, including its composer and the kaupapa within the music. Therefore, connections with mana whenua should be sought wherever possible to foster a culture of learning alongside those who hold the taonga.

Standard Exclusions

This Standard has exclusion(s). Standards that recognise the same or similar learning outcomes as other Achievement or Unit Standards need to be excluded to prevent ‘double dipping’. Where two or more Standards assess the same learning outcome, those Standards are specified in the Exclusions List. You can only use credits gained from one of these Standards towards your NCEA qualification.

Click here for the exclusions list for the new NCEA Level 1 pilot Standards.