Busyness

Te Ao Hou, March 1967, Page 43

Busyness One final word as a guide to the successful working of such a group: parents and grandparents must be as busy as their children, not only with their tongues but also with their hands; and three kinds of adult busyness can go on in this play centre world. First, adult busyness of four or five women who have the responsibility for the care of the children for perhaps an hour at a time before they hand over to a fresh group. Second, the busyness of three or four other women who are not caring for the children but who are learning to observe each child more carefully, and who are learning to discuss, as a group, what they observe. Third, adult busyness at those handcrafts that are traditional to Maori people, at modern versions of traditional crafts, or at newfound crafts, with parents and grandparents weaving mats, kits, taniko, kono, tukutuku, and carving. Not only are the traditional crafts then being kept alive by the people, but as well they are being practised by children, who by the very nature of their activities are becoming more observant. Beyond the traditional crafts, Maori women are discovering their ability to compose action songs, write stories for their own children, and develop their skill at pottery. This is one way, as I see it, that a community can grow and develop. And what better heritage can we give our children, than families working together for the good of the children in their community? Mr Lex Grey, the writer of this article, is the Maori Education Foundation's Officer for pre-school education, and is well known throughout the country for his work in helping parents establish play centres and arrange their training programmes.