Gathering Kōwhai Seeds, or Harvesting Kohikohia Kōwhai Seeds in a Nutshell
In a fascinating project spearheaded by Chloe Stantiall as part of the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative, students are embarking on a week-long inquiry unit about the uses and different knowledge sources of Kōwhai, a vibrant native New Zealand tree.
Assisted by Maurice M. W. Cheng and Bronwen Cowie from The University of Waikato, this activity serves as a hook into the wider teaching/inquiry sequence about Mātauranga Maori of Kōwhai. Tamariki at Silverdale Normal School are collecting Kōwhai seeds and seed pods as part of an investigation.
The project aims to explore students' sense of place and science-related possible selves through local curriculum units that focus on plants. By the end of this activity, students should be able to identify Kōwhai trees, seed pods, and seeds.
The activity is divided into several parts, including "Collecting Kōwhai seeds | Kohikohia ngā kākano Kōwhai", "Planting Kōwhai seeds | Whakatōngia kākano Kōwhai", and "Observing Kōwhai | Āta titiro Kōwhai". Creating Kōwhai infographics is also a part of the planting seeds activity.
The "Planting Kōwhai seeds" activity incorporates sharing scientific understanding through poetry, making it an engaging and memorable learning experience. Students are encouraged to locate and collect Kōwhai seeds, and to describe the shape, colour, and hardness of the seed pods.
Kōwhai seeds are about 2–3 mm in size, irregularly angled, and contained within fleshy berries that ripen from November to January. Their durability in saltwater and capability to float enables their dispersal across oceans, explaining occurrences of Kōwhai seeds in far locations such as Chile and Gough Island in the south Atlantic.
The uses of Kōwhai seeds and the plant are diverse. Historically, the berries were eaten, mostly by children, and their juice was used to make a sweetish drink. The bark was used to make small water vessels, and wood was used to make poles for fishing net handles, game sticks, stilts, and lightweight poi. Charcoal from the wood was historically used to make gunpowder.
However, it's important to note that the seeds themselves are poisonous to pets, a significant consideration for pet owners. Indigenous medicinal (rongoā) uses of various parts of the plant include boiling the bark for rheumatism, boiling the leaves for treatment of burns, sore eyes, boils, and rheumatism, and using warmed leaves as a bandage for burns.
The Department of Conservation offers helpful information about Kōwhai, including how to grow and care for Kōwhai, and Kōwhai as part of "Experiencing native trees in your green space". Additional activities are available for a wider teaching/inquiry sequence about Mātauranga Maori of Kōwhai.
This activity can work as a stand-alone lesson or as part of a broader educational journey, offering opportunities to learn about botany, ecology, chemistry, and indigenous knowledge. By engaging in these activities, students not only gain scientific knowledge but also deepen their understanding and appreciation of New Zealand's unique flora and culture.
References:
[1] New Zealand Flora Data Centre. (n.d.). Kōwhai (Sophora species). Retrieved from https://nzflora.landcareresearch.co.nz/Species/Kowhai
[3] New Zealand Poisons Centre. (2021). Poisonous plants: Kōwhai. Retrieved from https://www.poisons.org.nz/your-guide/poison-information/poisonous-plants/kohwai/
Students, as part of their education-and-self-development, are learning about the Kōwhai tree through an environmental-science inquiry unit, gathering knowledge about its various sources and uses. By the end of this activity, they are expected to recognize Kōwhai trees, seed pods, and seeds, and also create infographics and share scientific understanding through poetry. This activity, integrated into the wider teaching/inquiry sequence about Mātauranga Maori of Kōwhai, offers opportunities for students to deepen their learning not only about botany and ecology, but also about New Zealand's unique flora and culture.
