Upoko Pakaru is the new interactive board game that will have your whānau singing, twirling poi, performing haka, charades – all in te reo Māori.
The game was created by Waikato Tainui Language Advisory Group as a language revitalisation tool and a resource for teaching history unique to the iwi.
With the help of board game experts Holdson, it took six months to get the game off the ground.
Game developer Hariru Roa said the game follows the travels of Tainui waka.
“It is the journey the Tainui waka traversed to Aotearoa, starting at Whangaparaoa - that is where the waka landed first - then following all landings of the Tainui waka all the way to Kawhia moana.
“That is the main objective of the game, to land in Kawhia first.”
A free copy of the game was made available to all Waikato secondary schools and Māori medium schools.
Ms Roa said she believes it will be a great learning strategy for the next generation.
“Māori are naturally competitive, so what's better than a competition that allows you to move and groove whilst learning the knowledge and the whakapapa and all the songs of Waikato-Tainui?”
Waikato Tainui hopes the initiative will inspire other iwi across the country to adopt similar language and tikanga revitalisation strategies.
By Krystal-Lee Brown
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