Growing Kumara in Aotearoa: Tips for Teachers by Waikato Enviroschools

Te Ao Māori Perspective on Kumara

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-01-15 03:57:37 UTC

This comprehensive Science Learning Hub resource explores the cultural significance of kumara in Aotearoa. Perfect for introducing the topic to your class with a strong cultural foundation. It includes traditional growing methods and the story of Māori kumara cultivation.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-01-15 03:57:37 UTC

Kings Seeds NZ provides an excellent downloadable guide for kumara growing. I've used this with students to create a planting calendar. It covers soil preparation, planting times, and harvesting techniques specific to NZ conditions.

Hands-on Kumara Propagation

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-01-15 03:57:37 UTC

Here's 2 tried-and-tested methods for showing tamariki how to sprout kumara in the classroom.

Place a kumara in a jar with toothpicks and water, similar to growing avocado. Students love monitoring the sprouting process!
Bury kumara in sandy soil - keep warm and spray/mist with water to keep soil damp.

School Garden Integration

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-01-15 03:57:37 UTC

This Gardens in Schools video demonstrates practical tips for establishing a kumara patch in your school garden. It covers everything from preparing māra beds to involving students in the growing process. Choice resource for outdoor education!

Assessment Resource Bundle

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-01-15 03:57:37 UTC

I've found TKI's cross-curricular unit particularly useful for assessing learning around kumara cultivation. It includes writing templates, science observation sheets, and cultural reflection activities. Great for linking to both science and social studies achievement objectives.

Going Deeper - Extracts from: Maori gardening: an archaeological perspective

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-02-03 19:43:35 UTC

Simple guide!

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-02-03 19:46:50 UTC

Te Kūmara mai i te tāpapa ki te rua

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-02-16 21:33:51 UTC

A film of the kumara cultivation, harvesting and storage process narrated in te reo Māori (with English sub-titles available). 1 hour 45 minutes. Covering the seven parts of the process:

Tapapa – shooting/sprouting the kumara (supported by the photo book)
Muru – harvesting the shoots
Rumaki – planting the shoots
Rua – storage (a storage pit and whare are constructed in the DVD)
Hauhake – harvest
Komiri – sorting
Kao – preserving/drying kumara

Kūmara Cultivation Calendar

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-08-04 05:18:33 UTC

Plan your kūmara māra within your school year

Scotty Morrison Explains the Voyage of the Kūmara

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-08-04 22:33:59 UTC

Check out Scotty Morrison's piece on the voyage of the kūmara to Aotearoa.

For more info - Season Two, Ep 1 of "Origins" on TVNZ OnDemand has a more in-depth piece on kumara.

Kōanga Institute - Heritage Seed

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-08-11 09:39:43 UTC

Commercial NZ Varieties

waikatoenviroschools — 2025-08-11 09:41:05 UTC

Connected Journal Read - Level 3

2026-01-12 20:53:00 UTC

A quick read about the Hamilton Gardens Te Parapara with some great new vocab for students. Could be great paired with a trip to Hamilton Gardens

Garden To Table - He kūmara reka - Sweet Kūmara

waikatoenviroschools — 2026-01-28 08:04:15 UTC

Hamilton Gardens - Growing kuumara

2026-06-24 22:48:43 UTC

The story of kuumara growing journey at Te Parapara - one of a few places practicing the old ways of growing kuumara, a sacred crop to Maaori and a plant deeply entwined with the history of Aotearoa.