Summer Learning Journey - Teaser Week - Day 1

Activity 1: New Zealand Royalty

‘Lorde’ is a New Zealand singer who rose to fame in 2013 with the release of her song Royals. She currently has over 6 million followers on both Instagram and Facebook and close to 8 million followers on Twitter. Lorde has won many awards and influenced many people with her music and her original dance moves.

Lorde’s real name is Ella Yelich-O’Connor and she was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1996. Her mother, Sonja Yelich, is Croatian and her father, Vic O’Connor, is Irish. Lorde’s parents encouraged her to read a lot as a child. They also encouraged her to follow her passion. Lorde started performing covers (other people’s songs) when she was at intermediate school and started writing her own original music as a young teen.

Activity 2: Exploring Our Roots

Taika Waititi is a New Zealand filmmaker, director, actor and comedian. He has produced and/or directed a number of popular films including “Boy,” “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” and “Thor: Ragnarok.” As a child, Taika Waititi lived in Raukokore (a small town on the East Coast of New Zealand). When he graduated from secondary school Taika moved to Wellington to study drama at Victoria University. Despite moving away from home, he has never forgotten his family or his roots (where he comes from).

Speaking of roots, Taika comes from a culturally diverse family. His dad is Māori (Te Whānau-a-Apanui) and his mother is Russian-Jewish. I, on the other hand, am Pākeha (New Zealand European). Most of my ancestors come from England. When I talk about who I am, and introduce myself to others, I sometimes use a pepeha.

Pepeha - Japanese

Subete no go aisatsu

Greetings all

Mount Wellington Watashi no yamadesu ka

Mount Wellington is my mountain

Omaru Creek Watashi no kawadesu ka

Omaru Creek is my river

Watashi wa nyūjīrando ni sunde imasu

Watashi wa tongandesu

I live in New Zealand

I am Tongan

Watashinonamaeha kurisutofādesu

My name is Christopher

Activity 3: Big Friendly Giants

Roald Dahl was a British writer, fighter pilot, spy, and inventor. He is best known as an author having written dozens of books, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, George’s Marvellous Medicine, the BFG (Big Friendly Giant), and Matilda. Many of his books, including the BFG, have been made into films. Have you seen any of them?

In each of Roald Dahl’s books there are many unique characters, including adult villains (the evil, nasty characters) and good, kind-hearted children. There are also a number of unique words - words that Roald Dahl created all by himself. Here are some examples: Scrumdiddlyumptious, catasterous disastrophe, sizzle pan, bundongle, churgle, darksome, snozzcumber, frumpet, gollup, grunches, and mideous.