Myths take extraordinary characters and present them with extraordinary challenges. Throughout the conflict, the hero is required to reach deep, to think creatively, and to learn from others as he or she ultimately defeats evil. In the end, goodness (almost always) wins. We all want to believe that the good character wins in the end, that evil will not be allowed to prevail.

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Tarakura of the Rangitaiki Plains

Rona and the Moon

A serious game

Hatupatu and the Birdwoman

Extraordinary Character:

Iratumoana

Rona

Sister’s

Hatupatu

Character description: Key values, personality traits and feelings

Iratumoana is strong and determined.  He is concerned for the safety of his tribe.  

Rona is rude and she got punished for her bad actions. Rona needs to learn how to be nice.

The Sister’s are kind and nice and very polite to everyone in their village/tribe. But then they found out that a whale got killed because it was a prize in the game.

Hatupatu was trying to go find a place with a lot of birds for his tribe to eat. But then hatupatu ate a bird, then the bird went to tell the bird woman. Then the bird woman died in cold water or lava.

Actions - what was the main thing they did. Why? 

He made a cunning plan to kill the taniwha Tarakura.  He knew his best chance to do this would be when Tarakura had eaten and was going to be slow.  He wanted to kill the taniwha to ensure the safety of his tribe.

Rona was being rude because the moon moved away from rona and rona wanted the light from the moon to see.

The Sister’s are trying to find the person that is trying to kill the whale/tutunui.

Hatupatu was acting cheeky and sneakily around the bird woman. He kind of betrayed the bird woman. But then in the end the bird woman died from cold water or lava.

What lessons did the character learn and can teach us?

Iratumoana learnt how hard he had to fight to kill the taniwha.  He had to be persistent and not give up his fight, even when things seemed hopeless. I also learned that you can fight anything as long as you believe in yourself.

Rona learned that she needs to learn to have manners and be more polite to everything.

I think Rona taught me to be polite in every way possible to anyone.

The Sister’s learn that life can’t just be like you dreamed of.

The sisters taught me that you can’t always keep alive the things that you want in life.

Hatupatu learned that he could do anything he could control himself.

Hatupatu taught me that I can do anything as long as you control yourself.