Initial Questions For Te Kotare

From our first meeting as a group, we brainstormed questions that we could ask our clients to get a better understanding of what they wanted from us throughout this project. From here each group elected a communicator to represent their group who would be the sole line of connection between their group and the client, I (Brittany) then meet with the other group's communicators and together we collated a list of questions to put forward to the client the clarify their brief.
Our Questions:

Below are the collated questions and responses:  

1. 
   
2. What kind of package are they after? (online, print, life)

Ideally we want something that teachers / educators can hold in their hands and pin to their classroom / early childhood centre walls.  Also We want something that utilizes the digital technologies which are now imbedded in most early childhood  and school settings.  Young children are visual and aural creatures.  We want the songs to be available online as well as put in a clunky old CD player in the dress up corner.

2. What was Jenny Shearer’s specific vision of the project? Where did she want the songs to end up?

Please refer to website……  http://tekotare.com/about 

3. What motivated her to change New Zealand?

“What lies behind my dream is a passion I’ve had since studying a biculturalism paper at University.  It’s a passion for all children in New Zealand to grow up experiencing Maori culture as something they can feel comfortable within, enjoy, participate in, and feel confident operating within.”  

(Jenny, 2014)

Her dream is homogeneous with the goals of Te Whariki (NZ early childhood curriculum) which states “In early childhood education settings, all children should be given the opportunity to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both partners to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”   (Te Whariki, 1996)

4. Specific scope and specific funding? What can we work with?

Specifically, creating a resource to help teachers teach from the original song source. the may include, but not me limiting to, classroom resources like song charts, translations, chord books, online video, explanation of song meanings. We imagine that print will be an essential component of the designed items - but are looking for effective relevant ways to deliver recordings and content to ECE environment (keep in mind, many ECE still use CD players)

5. Do you want us to be a part of the advertising process?

Yes. Though not sure what you mean by advertising? We plan to have a marketing campaign, to tap into Jenny’s (and Grant and Matuis’s) community - which are significant, and generous. One way would be to do a crowdfunding campaign, where, for instance, people can sponsor a copy of the resource into an nominate ECE. Publicity would also be great - radio interviews, newspaper, local and national, ECE industry publications etc.

6. The Te Kotare’s team’s role? How much do they want to be involved?

It would be good if you can keep us in touch with where you are going with your ideas / designs etc. Keeping in mind, also, that we hold this project very dear, and it is dear, also, to Jenny’s boys - we want to see the best that you can do to add to the mana of the project.

7. Barriers/restrictions?

We understand that with some individuals, or groups, working with a Maori and bi-cultural item may be new, and we want new learners, and willing and enthusiastic ones. Jenny  was a teacher, so please put yourselves into the shoes of a new learner, and appreciate and understand the challenges of language learning.

8. Are you able to send us the lyrics and a translation?

The song lyrics and English translations can be accessed here

please also listen to the songs here (please keep in mind that these are not the finished recordings, please do not download to your devices, but rather listen from the link.  This gives no further permission than to listen to the songs other than to familiarise your selves them.

9. What stage are you at with all the songs?

Songs have been professionally recorded at The Surgery with guide vocals.  Various vocal artists have been and are being approached to contribute to the project.   (see above)

10. What have you done so far, what approaches have you already tried?

No other approaches, this is a unique and new thing. One chance to get it right. We have focussed on getting the songs professionally arranged and recorded

11. Have there been similar projects to Te Kotare?

There are plenty of children’s Maori waiata out there, although it has been suggested to us there is a lack of new material in recent years with older waiata from decades back being revitalized.  Anika Moa has produced Songs for bubbas and Songs for bubbas 2.  Te Kotare songs are unique in that they have a strong (not exclusive) focus on the environment and nature and are all 100% original.  It is a ‘treaty’ partnership in that all ideas and concepts of the songs have been developed collaboratively between pakeha and Maori.  Colleagues with children in Kohanga report that there is a lack of sufficient quality teaching materials using Te Reo and song - a lot are English songs, translated to and sung in Maori - ie The Wheels on the Bus etc. Te Kotare is not only in te Reo Maori, but is about Te Ao Maori - Maori Concepts. Children a learning  language and unique concepts.

12. How they want to implement the project? (special occasion, annually)

A one off launch event, with significant media coverage and a ‘gift’ to Early childhood centres / schools in the wider Wellington district initially.  First print run goal, is 500.

13. Clarification of end goal and realistic goal

For ECE centres and schools in Aotearoa to have access to a resource which puts all 10 Te Kotare songs in the minds and hearts of all New Zealand children. That the songs that Jen wrote will one day be known and sung by children throughout New Zealand/Aotearoa.

realistic, clear goal, is to produce, to begin with, 500 untis to distribute, And also a posthumous APRA songwriter award for Jenny.


As a group, we will unpack these responses at our meeting