Te Whāriki: The woven mat
The interconnected nature of the contexts that influence young people’s development can be viewed through the metaphor of a woven mat. The woven mat or whāriki and rāranga (weaving) have deep symbolic and spiritual meaning for Māori. Weaving a whāriki takes knowledge, skill and time. It is almost always done together and when completely finished, a whāriki is a taonga (treasure) valued for its artistry and mauri (vital essence).
Te Whāriki is the metaphor used to describe the early childhood curriculum in Aotearoa. The curriculum is originally based on the work of Bronfenbrenner. Bronfenbrenner’s work (described in A Sociological Perspective) aligns with a Māori worldview, which emphasises interdependent relationships, and positions the child within whānau, hapū and iwi as a link between past, present and future.
Te Whāriki demonstrates how the principles of mana atua (wellbeing), mana whenua (belonging), mana tangata (contribution), mana reo (communication) and mana aotūroa (exploration) are interwoven with ngā hononga (relationships), whānau tangata (family and community) kotahitanga (holistic development) and whakamana (empowerment).
While the curriculum has been designed for young children, the principles are relevant to young people and positive youth development. These concepts recur throughout this resource. Te Whāriki demonstrates how they are interdependent and enmeshed.
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