HOHI 1816 – The board game
HOHI 1816 is a board game about Aotearoa’s first Western-style school at Rangihoua in the Bay of Islands. It is inspired by the research of Alison Jones and Kuni Jenkins and was developed with contestable funding from the University of Auckland Learning Enhancement Grant.
The game began life in 2016 as “Get a Pākehā” and has grown into a multi‑chapter, follow‑your‑adventure / pick‑a‑path game where players engage with important characters and events leading up to the establishment of the school.
How to play HOHI 1816
Below is a “how to play” video introduction. It walks through the basic structure of the game, the way chapters and choices work, and how players move through the story leading to the opening of the school at Rangihoua.
This page also contains references for extended reading (updated to APA 7) and background sources that informed the game design.
Play HOHI 1816 Online on Tabletopia
Collaboration
References
Calman, R. (2012). Māori education – mātauranga. Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/maori-education-matauranga
Cloher, D. U. (2013). The tribes of Muriwhenua: Their origins and stories . Auckland University Press.
Elder, J. R. (1932). The letters and journals of Samuel Marsden, 1765–1838 . Coulls, Somerville Wilkie, and A.H. Reed.
Elder, J. R. (1934). Marsden’s lieutenants . Coulls, Somerville Wilkie, and A.H. Reed.
Hanly, T. (2015). Two worlds meet. A critical guide to Māori and Pākehā histories of Aotearoa (Vol. 3). See criticalhistories.nz.
Jones, A., & Jenkins, K. (2011). He kōrero – Words between us: First Māori‑Pākehā conversations on paper. Huia.
Lee, J. (1996). The Bay of Islands (2nd ed.). Reed.
Moon, P. (2016). Ka ngaro te reo: Māori language under siege in the nineteenth century. Otago University Press.
Parkinson, P. G. (2003). Our infant state: The Māori language, the mission presses, the British crown and the Māori, 1814–1838 (Vol. 1). [Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Victoria University]. Wellington, New Zealand.
Petrie, H. (2006). Chiefs of industry: Māori tribal enterprise in early colonial New Zealand. Auckland University Press.
Stock, E. (1899–1916). The history of the Church Missionary Society: Its environment, its men and its work. Church Missionary Society.
Press Coverage
There was a formal news release made by University of Auckland Communications and Marketing in late April, Game changer for learning our history, 29 April - which became a springboard for national interest in the board-game, including the following:
- Radio Waatea interview, 9:20am 30 April, Board game way to walk ancient land.
- Te Hiku o te Ika interview with Girlie Clarke, 9:10am 1 May, Game changer for New Zealand history.
- The Northland Age story, 7 May, Game brings history to life.
- Fuseworks Media story, 22 August, Fresh look at first school in Bay of Islands – Kiwa.
- School News story, 26 August, New app brings history and te reo alive.
- Te Waha Nui – AUT student journalism story, 8 May, Student struggle and teacher ‘responsibility’: a lecturer may have found a way to improve our historical understanding.
- Education HQ story, 7 May, New board game helping pre-service teachers understand revisionist histories.
There was an article published in a special edition of SET: Research Information for Teachers
Conversations between a teacher and game designer: Redesigning a teaching game about Māori-Pākehā histories.Further resources
Rangihoua Heritage Park
rangihouaheritage.co.nz – an interactive timeline with comprehensive information to support a wide range of teaching and learning experiences about Rangihoua.
Unit 3: Two Worlds Meet
cmph.cybersoul.co.nz/cpr-structure.html – Tamsin Hanly’s Critical Histories include a section exploring the histories of Rangihoua.
Ko Wiriwiri rāua ko Kina
A bilingual story about two girls who went to the first school, aimed at ages 8–12, with teacher’s notes. It was previously available as an app for Android and remains available via iTunes.