Mel Thompson
Mel is part of the Learning Team within Te Papa Tongarewa. She has a background in science, education & communication and has worked with researchers and curators to create these courses for you.
Location Aotearoa New Zealand
Activity
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Mel Thompson replied to Linda Bamford
Oh I'm so sorry to hear your daughter had to go through that. Hopefully the next phase of their life is kinder once they can operate more on their own terms <3
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Mel Thompson replied to Linda Bamford
@LindaBamford The new run is considered a new course by FutureLearn, so you should be able to start fresh! Some of my other free learners have done this :)
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Mel Thompson replied to Linda Bamford
@LindaBamford I will add an extra week of time if you need it, as this run is now 'closed' (note there is already an additional empty week after week 4 for catch ups!)
On the bright side though, as there is now a new live run, you'll be able to enroll in that one again immediately after this if you like and have a second chance to go through anything you...
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Mel Thompson replied to Linda Bamford
Let me know if you're going to be timed out, I'll do my best to help!
And yes, the unfairness that it will be those who have contributed the least to climate change being the first to be so harmed by it is really striking.
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Mel Thompson replied to Linda Bamford
We are facing misinformation and propaganda wars on a scale never seen before. The rise of unregulated social media 'news' and the decline of traditional media news is totally unprecedented, and we're woefully unprepared for it!
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Yes, it has the feel of "out of sight, out of mind" about it.
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Mel Thompson replied to Sara Williams
Thank you so much for your kind words Sara!
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Mel Thompson replied to Sara Williams
We have a new course coming soon all about the whales and dolphins of Aotearoa and the ways they have impacted our culture and history. Keep an eye out!
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Mel Thompson replied to Sara Williams
Tuatara are such a fascinating species. Not like anything else on earth!
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Mel Thompson replied to Sara Williams
Yes! It's there, revamped and still much loved!
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Mel Thompson replied to Sara Williams
Tēnā koe Sara! Great to have you here, I'm so glad you found our courses :)
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Mel Thompson replied to Kim Ferens
Ka pai ki te reo, Kim! Awesome to have you here :)
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Absolutely devastating.
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Mel Thompson replied to Greg Holtmeyer
New Zealand is doing well compared to many countries in terms of renewables -- over 80% of our power supply is from renewables, with a goal to get to 100%.
However we are still extracting, using, and exporting coal. As you'll see more in upcoming steps, renewables can also be quite environmentally destructive too so it's going to depend on future tech...
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They certainly got caught out for it much faster than they probably expected!
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Mel Thompson replied to Greg Holtmeyer
While violence certainly brings attention, I think we can see from all of the examples in this course just how impactful non-violent protest can be!
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Mel Thompson replied to Greg Holtmeyer
New Zealand is having it's own media struggles at the moment, but different to that in the states. Many of our major media organisations are folding... raising questions about where the public will end up getting their information from.
While there can be some level of bias in MSM, it is nothing compared to the misinfo present on alternative sources like...
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Mel Thompson replied to Linda Bamford
It's a shame we keep repeating these awful patterns :(
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Mel Thompson replied to Linda Bamford
While it was technically criminalized prior to that, it wasn't enforced in any way and was, and remains, accessible. The 2020 decision was more an acknowledgement of that, and a tidy up of the law to recognize practice.
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Kia ora Clarence, welcome to the course!
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Mel Thompson replied to Justine Foster
Kia ora Justine, haere mai! We love seeing teachers here, there is a lot of scope to adapt some of the materials in this course for the classroom and we're very interested in how else we can support the teaching of this important history!
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Mel Thompson replied to Linda Bamford
A very inspiring woman, indeed.
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Mel Thompson replied to Linda Bamford
@LindaBamford My apologies, the new run actually starts next week! The link should be live now. So if you do get kicked off this run, you can jump back in over there :)
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Mel Thompson replied to Greg Holtmeyer
Correction - the new run starts next week!
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Mel Thompson replied to Patricia M
I'm so glad you enjoyed your time here Patricia, thank you so much for learning with us!
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Mel Thompson replied to Lydia Sariak
I agree, RNZ really knocked this series out of the park!
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Mel Thompson replied to Linda Bamford
Yes, a too familiar story!
To view the captions, move your mouse over the video, then click on the small "CC" sitting in the bottom right hand corner. If the "CC" has a little red line under it, the captions are turned on!
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Exactly!
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It's a shame the virtual tour couldn't capture the exhibition audio. It had projections and soundscapes, and the works of Rongowhakaata composers, such as Tama Waipara, and Rob Ruha. Very immersive.
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Mel Thompson replied to Lydia Sariak
Kia ora and welcome Lydia! I love hearing that overseas visitors are using these courses to deepen their understanding of the culture before they visit, or to connect with their loved ones. So cool to see!
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Mel Thompson made a comment
Tēnā koutou, my name is Mel and I'll be your facilitator throughout this course. I'm based in Wellington, New Zealand and am part of the Learning Team at Te Papa.
I'm so excited to share this fascinating look at our protest history with you!
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Mel Thompson replied to Linda Bamford
Kia ora Linda, I'm not sure if you'll see this or not, but this course has just started a new run, so if you find yourself locked out you can join back up here:
https://www.futurelearn.com/admin/courses/mautohe-i-aotearoa-the-history-of-protest-in-new-zealand/2 -
Mel Thompson replied to Greg Holtmeyer
Kia ora Greg, I'm not sure if you'll see this or not, but this course has just started a new run, so if you find yourself locked out you can join back up here:
https://www.futurelearn.com/admin/courses/mautohe-i-aotearoa-the-history-of-protest-in-new-zealand/2 -
Mel Thompson replied to Ruth Tanner
Kia ora and welcome Ruth! It does feel a very important time to refresh our collective understanding of our history. I look forward to seeing your reflections :)
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Mel Thompson replied to Greg Holtmeyer
'Going bush' is a great way to get to know Aotearoa!
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Mel Thompson replied to Greg Holtmeyer
I agree! There is so much to be learned from indigenous cultures.
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Mel Thompson replied to Greg Holtmeyer
How wonderful! I hope you enjoy the course Greg. There are more that follow it if you do!
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Mel Thompson replied to Donna Leckie
Funny you say that, I just added an article to this section about Kupe, incorporating the 'photographic journey'! Go back to make sure you don't miss it!
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Mel Thompson replied to Patricia M
Ecotourism/tourism seems to have proven a boon to many indigenous cultures around the world in protecting their cultures and way of lives in the face of many pressures.
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Mel Thompson replied to Sue F
@DonnaLeckie I have had a similar experience. Writing my pepeha turned out to be a bit of a catalyst for discovering my genealogy which I'd never been prompted, as NZ European, to think about that much.
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The intimacy the concepts (and whetū) of Matariki have with the natural biodiversity and rhythms of this land has made a big impact on me, personally.
I find I am viewing the passage of time very differently, connecting it with my life and land in a new way. I've been realizing for the first time how arbitrarily I have viewed it for most of my life.
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Mel Thompson replied to Donna Leckie
Kia ora Donna, brilliant to have you here. It sounds like you're likely already be aware of a lot of the course content but I'm looking forward to seeing your thoughts as you go through!
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Mel Thompson replied to Greg Holtmeyer
And the way it was reported on is very telling too.
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This is a bit of an explainer on the concerns of the protestors. Basically, provisions within the TPP agreement would allow a foreign corporation to take legal action against the government for introducing legislation that harms their investment.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/295605/will-tpp-undermine-nz's-sovereignty
Essentially, concessions...
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Mel Thompson replied to Greg Holtmeyer
Welcome Greg, great to have you learning with us! What important and difficult work you do. Thank you for it.
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Mel Thompson replied to Ella Eriksson
The Mixing Room is a permanent exhibit at Te Papa focusing on the stories of young refugees to Aotearoa New Zealand.
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Mel Thompson replied to Ella Eriksson
Sky puppies!
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Mel Thompson replied to Ella Eriksson
Kia ora Ella, nau mai haere mai, wonderful to have you here!
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Mel Thompson replied to Patricia M
Yes, there are parallels of our colonization story all over the world. Lots of connections to be made!
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Mel Thompson replied to Stephanie Schaar
Oh what an interesting learning journey you've had with Aotearoa! Great to have you here to expand your knowledge :)
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Mel Thompson replied to Patricia M
I'm so glad you're enjoying the learning experience, Patricia!
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I'm with you -- it's all about connections!
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Mel Thompson replied to Sue F
Thank you so much Sue, it was wonderful having you learn with us! Hopefully we'll see you again on another of our courses :)
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Mel Thompson replied to Patricia M
It's a mind-blowing journey!
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Mel Thompson replied to Patricia M
Kia ora and welcome Patricia! It's always wonderful to have teachers here. I hope you enjoy the course, feel free to ask any questions that pop up as you go through :)
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Mel Thompson replied to Sue F
lol, best not to think about it...
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Mel Thompson replied to Caroline McGrath
It is a beautiful practice, and living in tune with the natural rhythms of the land you live on makes perfect sense!
Important to note that there is a fair bit of diversity within the Maramataka and Matariki (or other New Years practices) between iwi.
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Mel Thompson replied to Sue F
@SueF You are so welcome, I found it fascinating too!
And I'm with you, it's so hard to fathom the leap of faith (and the desperateness of their previous situation) to travel to a wilderness dominated land an entire world away, with no security of what you would find there. Very brave people.
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Mel Thompson replied to Sue F
It kicked off in around the 1840s, with the New Zealand Company advertising assisted migration to labourers in England and Scotland. The story expands from there to include more migrants from Ireland and elsewhere in Europe (like Scandinavia), Canada, South Africa and, from the late 1950s goldrush on, China too. The British continued to make up the bulk...
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Mel Thompson replied to Sharon Tavener
Thank you for your kind words, Sharon, I'm glad you enjoyed learning with us!
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Mel Thompson replied to Isla Crawford
Kia ora Isla, welcome! Great to have you here, feel free to ask any questions or share your thoughts as you go :)
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Mel Thompson replied to Finn Mc Carron
Kia ora and welcome Finn! This sounds like a perfect precursor to your trip. Aotearoa New Zealand is a very special and unique place from a conservation perspective, as you'll soon see!
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Kia ora, hello, and welcome Michelle. How exciting for you and your whanau (family)! These courses will be a great starting point to understanding the history of your new home :)
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Mel Thompson replied to Sue F
I have a shortcut because I have changed my keyboard to a Māori keyboard in Windows. That's probably a step too far for your needs, but you can actually just substitute the macron for a double vowel, it means the same thing and various iwi actually preferentially use one style or the other. So Māori can also be Maaori :)
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Mel Thompson replied to Sue F
Also, you can substitute the macron for a double vowel, it means the same thing and various iwi actually preferentially use one style or the other. So Māori can also be Maaori :)
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Mel Thompson replied to Sue F
@SueF Sadly, yes it was. Through the middle of the last century, special 'native schools' were set up, with the general intention of educating rural Māori children in the English language and integrating them into Pākehā (non-Māori) society.
Unfortunately, in many cases this also entailed beating them for speaking te reo Māori (the Māori language). The...
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Mel Thompson replied to Sue F
Kia ora Sue, so great to hear you're learning in order to connect with whanau (family). How marvellous.
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Mel Thompson replied to Sue F
The pronunciation isnot the same for all iwi Māori (Māori tribes), some pronounce it as a 'w' sound, but the 'f' pronunciation is very common.
Language is just such a fascinating subject! Thank you for sharing.
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Mel Thompson replied to Janet Cannon
Kia ora and welcome Janet, great to have you learning with us!
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Mel Thompson replied to Caroline McGrath
Wonderful to have you with us Caroline!
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
I'll note that although there is historical precedent for acceptance of varied sexualities and genders in several Pacific cultures, there was also a significant uptake of quite strict Christian morality after the arrival of missionaries (and the introduction of conservative commonwealth laws) to the region so as you can imagine, perspectives today can...
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
Yes, and we need robust support systems for settling them into their new communities. It's a huge adjustment and they need support.
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
Absolutely. We need to challenge the entrenched practice of creating a product/service/event and then having those with lived experience 'weigh in', and instead strive to have those people involved from conception and throughout every stage thereafter.
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
So true
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
It, like many other issues, has been co-opted as a tool for division rather than being a discussion about health, wellbeing, and practical accomodations.
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Mel Thompson replied to Sharon Tavener
Yes some of the Māori mythology around heroes, gods, demigods and their exploits reminds me of Greek stories too
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Mel Thompson replied to Rosemary Sharp
@JohnDoleman Thanks John, a lot of very salient points there, particularly the way that culture and value systems are deeply embedded in language in a way that's hard to articulate. The example I often use is the word 'whenua' in te reo Māori. It means land, but it also means placenta - an example of the deeply connected familial relationship that Māori have...
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Mel Thompson replied to Sharon Tavener
Definitely a daunting journey!
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Mel Thompson replied to Sharon Tavener
Welcome Sharon! Great to have you here, this and our 'culture and clashes' course work together as a great introduction to New Zealand!
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Mel Thompson replied to Yvonne Williams
@YvonneWilliams Check us out on Khan Academy! Free and unlimited! More to come :D
https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/museum-of-new-zealand-te-papa-tongarewa
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
Yes, our other movements also had an explicit commitment to non-violence. Not so with this one.
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
Truly shocking behaviour
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
Yes lots of alternative options, like adding context by signage, or moving them to a place built for greater conversation around them.
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
They do give me a lot of hope, I just hope they don't burn out!
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Mel Thompson replied to Mary R
@MaryR Sounds fascinating, what's the course?
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Mel Thompson replied to Laura Batten
Great to have you here Laura, this and our Biodiversity course make a great introduction to New Zealand. I hope you find it interesting!
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Mel Thompson replied to Mary R
The gifting of that one feather leading to the eventual extinction of the entire species is a great example of "the butterfly effect" in action.
https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/economics/the-butterfly-effect
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Mel Thompson replied to Yvonne Williams
4. There is a huge amount of mythos around the stars in Māori mythology. That is such a specialized, very special, and closely held mātauranga (knowledge) topic though that we would likely refer you to the leading experts rather than try to create anything in that space ourselves. Dr Rangi Matamua is the nation's foremost expert, so I would suggest learning...
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Mel Thompson replied to Yvonne Williams
@YvonneWilliams few things Yvonne:
1. From what I see you took that course back when it was first released back in mid-2022, and the second run was released in November just been so I think you should be good to join?
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/new-zealand-culture-and-conflict-a-museum-perspective/22. I hope the next course isn't far from...
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That's a great start, particularly for week one of the course!
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Mel Thompson replied to Chelsea B
There's nothing we like hearing more than that kaiako are joining these courses Chelsea, so a huge mihi and welcome from us :)
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They moved from Rongelap to Kwajalein Atoll, both islands in the Marshall Islands, administered by the United States.
While France was testing on Mururoa (in their own territory), the USA was testing in the Marshall Islands, including Rongelap.
The Rainbow Warrior was actively protesting the French activity in Mururoa, but diverted to assist the...
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Mel Thompson replied to Jean Simmons
That was brilliant, thanks for sharing!
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Yes, it sounds like it worked well to begin with, but unfortunately soon became a tool for worker suppression
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
A very good point
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
Thank you so much for letting me know Jill, it appears they had replaced the video with an updated version. It should play now!
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
I think that's quite common, sadly!
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Mel Thompson replied to Jill Hind
No, only to men
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Mel Thompson replied to Mary R
@YvonneWilliams It is a bit distracting, I agree, but accepting these sponsored ad-reads is often the only compensation these independent creators get for all the work they put into researching and producing this kind of educational content. They typically make these out of passion for the topic, and don't make much - or any - money from youtube for it,...
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Mel Thompson replied to Jean Simmons
There's a lot of very important historical context to the discussions New Zealand is having as a country today, and sadly most New Zealanders don't know much about it. It can be an intimidating topic so hopefully these courses can serve as an accessible entry point!
