1. The People Before
By Maurice Shadbolt

2. What do you know about New Zealand?
Maori “pa”

3. How do the Maoris act together?
As you read the story, make notes on the main characters. Write down short quotes to support your notes.
Narrator Jim Father Mother Maoris
What kind of family is this? What kind of relationships do the characters have with each other?
How do the Maoris act together?

4. Draw a comparison table in your books
The white farmers
They think the land belongs to them. …
Do they have anything in common?
The Maoris
Their appearance is strange – eg.
They stick together. ……
…….
…..

5. THEME: Land and the relationship between people and the land is an important theme in this story.
Draw a mindmap showing how the theme is explored. Think about What does the land mean to the narrator’s father? - an enemy? self-sufficiency? an exploitable resource? What does land mean to: the Maoris? – what does the greenstone /adze symbolise? why does the old man want to return? the narrator? - what part has the land played in his upbringing? his brother Jim? – what does Jim cherish about the land? What does Jim get from his interaction with the Maoris?

6. Zoom in to comment on language.
Annotate the quote. Spend 5 mins.
Zoom in to comment on language.
Zoom out to link quote to the big picture – how does this quote connect with the main themes / rest of the story?
‘I’d bend my head to no man. And you know what the secret of that is, boy? Land. Land of your own. You’re independent, boy. You can say no to the world. That’s if you’ve got your own little kingdom.’

7. Examination extract practice
Look at the extract which describes the Maoris’ arrival at the farm, from ‘Then we had our surprise’ to ‘They were as confused as we were.’ Qu: How are two cultures contrasted in this extract?

8. Examination extract practice- Guided
How are two cultures contrasted in this extract?
Consider language used to describe Maoris / dialogue/words / actions / behaviour /physical appearance/spiritual beliefs/ways of speaking.
Compare with the attitudes held by the narrator’s family – cultural ignorance / prejudice/aggression
Consider the historical/spiritual importance of Craggy Hill - how it stays in the boys’ memory/associations with the people before