Indigenous Leaders Research Template
Indigenous Leaders Research Template · Years 7–10
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga · Learning Intentions
- Investigate a social, historical, economic, or political question using evidence
- Analyse multiple perspectives on complex social issues
- Understand how historical and contemporary forces shape society and identity
- Evaluate the relevance of Māori concepts and frameworks to understanding social issues
Paearu Angitu · Success Criteria
- I use at least two different sources or perspectives in my investigation
- I can explain how historical events or processes connect to present-day conditions
- I can present a clear position supported by specific evidence
- I connect at least one Māori concept or value to the social issue I am investigating
🌍 Indigenous Leaders Research Template
Unit 5: Global Indigenous Solidarity
"Ko te pae tawhiti, whāia kia tata. Ko te pae tata, whakamaua kia tīna."
Seek out distant horizons and cherish those you attain. - Recognising the global Indigenous leaders who inspire us
📋 Your Research Mission
Goal: Research a contemporary Indigenous leader from anywhere in the world and share their story of resistance, resilience, and rangatiratanga.
🇧🇷 Brazil
Chief Raoni Metuktire
Amazon rainforest defender
🇺🇸 USA
Winona LaDuke
Environmental activist
🇦🇺 Australia
Noel Pearson
Land rights advocate
🇳🇿 Aotearoa
Dame Whina Cooper
Land march leader
🇨🇦 Canada
Buffy Sainte-Marie
Musician & activist
🇵🇪 Peru
Máxima Acuña
Land defender
Or choose your own! Research any contemporary Indigenous leader who inspires you.
1️⃣ Basic Information
Leader's Name: _______________________________________________________________
Indigenous Nation/People: _______________________________________________________________
Country/Region: _______________________________________________________________
Birth Year (if known): _______________________________________________________________
2️⃣ Their Struggle & Focus Area
What issue or cause does this leader champion?
Main Issue: (e.g., land rights, language revitalization, climate justice, water protection)
Why is this issue important to their people?
3️⃣ Actions & Achievements
What has this leader done to make change?
Key Actions: (e.g., protests, legal battles, community organising, international advocacy)
Major Achievements or Victories:
4️⃣ Challenges & Opposition
What obstacles have they faced?
Who or what opposes them? (e.g., governments, corporations, systemic racism)
Personal sacrifices or risks they've taken:
5️⃣ Global Solidarity & Connections
How does their work connect to other Indigenous movements?
Connections to Māori or other Indigenous struggles:
International support or partnerships:
6️⃣ Personal Reflection
What inspires you most about this leader?
What can we learn from their example?
How might their work influence your own actions?
🎤 Preparing Your Presentation (5 minutes)
Presentation Checklist:
- ☐ Introduce your leader and their people
- ☐ Explain the issue they're fighting for
- ☐ Share 2-3 key actions or achievements
- ☐ Describe challenges they've faced
- ☐ Make connections to other Indigenous movements
- ☐ Explain what inspires you about them
- ☐ Include images or visuals (optional)
📚 Your Sources
Where did you find your information? List at least 3 credible sources.
Source 1: _______________________________________________________________
Source 2: _______________________________________________________________
Source 3: _______________________________________________________________
👩🏫 Teacher Notes
Learning Outcomes:
- Research skills and critical source evaluation
- Understanding of global Indigenous solidarity movements
- Recognition of contemporary Indigenous leaders and their struggles
- Connections between local and global Indigenous issues
- Oral presentation skills
Extension Ideas:
- Create a class "Hall of Indigenous Heroes" wall display
- Write a letter of support to the leader or their organisation
- Research how to take action on the issue locally
- Compare leadership styles across different Indigenous cultures
Curriculum Links: Social Studies (L5-6), English (research & presentation), Te Ao Māori (Indigenous connections)
Hononga Marautanga · Curriculum Alignment
Verified statements carried by the unit this handout belongs to (y11-13-history-social-studies-global-indigenous-solidarity):
- The New Zealand Curriculum (2007) · Social Studies · Level 8 (Years 12–13): “Understand how ideologies shape society and that individuals and groups respond differently to these beliefs.”
- And: “Understand how policy changes are influenced by and impact on the rights, roles, and responsibilities of individuals and communities.”
Tuhia ōu whakaaro · Write Your Thoughts
Reflect on your learning. What was the most important idea? What question do you still have?
Aronga Mātauranga Māori
Social Sciences taught well in Aotearoa should be uncomfortable — because the history of this land is one in which Māori and other communities have faced injustice, and in which those injustices are not yet fully addressed. Mātauranga Māori offers frameworks for thinking about social change that go beyond Western political theory: the concept of tino rangatiratanga (self-determination), of kotahitanga (unity in purpose), of utu (reciprocity across time) — these are not abstract ideas but working tools for analysing how power has been distributed and how it might be redistributed more justly. Social Sciences that centres these frameworks gives students the analytical vocabulary to name what they see in the world and imagine what could be different.
Ngā Rauemi Tautoko · Resources already provided
This handout is designed to be used alongside other resources in the same unit. This handout stands on its own; it is not part of a linked unit planner. All content is provided — no additional preparation is required to use this handout in your classroom.
📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot
Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions
Students will investigate global indigenous solidarity movements through a historical lens, using whakapapa of resistance to trace how communities have organised across borders to assert tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake. This unit connects Aotearoa's struggle for sovereignty to broader international movements for indigenous rights and decolonisation.
Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria
- ✅ I can analyse and compare perspectives from multiple indigenous resistance movements globally.
- ✅ I can explain how solidarity across difference has strengthened indigenous rights campaigns.
- ✅ I can evaluate the significance of international indigenous solidarity for Aotearoa New Zealand.
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Provide graphic organisers for comparing movements. Entry-level tasks focus on identifying key events; extension tasks require evaluating the effectiveness of solidarity strategies and writing a persuasive historical argument.
ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach key historical terms (sovereignty, solidarity, colonisation, decolonisation). Provide bilingual glossaries where available; allow discussion in home language first.
Inclusion: Use structured note-taking templates and chunked readings. Neurodiverse learners benefit from visual timelines and choice in how they demonstrate understanding — oral, visual, or written formats all valid. Ensure content is presented sensitively given the potential for personal connection to histories of dispossession.
Mātauranga Māori lens: Centre whakapapa as a methodology — tracing the genealogy of resistance ideas across cultures and time. Frame the hīkoi as both a political act and a cultural expression of rangatiratanga. Connect to the whakataukī: "He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata."
Prior knowledge: Best used after foundational study of colonisation and the Treaty of Waitangi. Familiarity with basic historical inquiry skills is recommended.