The Tapu Tree

 The Tapu Tree

• What does the word ‘tapu’ mean? 

The meaning of Tapu is fear and some of the trees are sacred.

• What were the children doing down by the creek?

The children were down by the creek because Tama threw the ball too far in the bushes, that was the first time they heard about the tapu tree.

• Why did Michael warn his cousin? 

Michael was just trying to scared Tama 

• Why do you think Tama kept asking about the tapu tree? 

Tama asked about the tapu tree because he 

• What did the boys do to help koro? 

The boys help Koro to plant the flax along the fence line and Tama, Michael were digging a hole.

• On page 4, what did koro say to the boys about their great uncle Tama?

 Koro said that when your great uncle Tama, when he was born they buried his whenua and planted a young rimu tree on top, then they blessed the tree.

• What is a ‘whenua’? 

A whenua is a little tob and it has a little bit of you in it and 

you can plant it somewhere special to you or your mother.

• Was the tapu tree haunted? Why or why not? How do you know? 

The tapu tree wasn’t haunted down because Michael was just telling jokes so Tama would get scared so the tree is still there.

• What promise did Michael and Tama make to each other in the end? The promise let’s not tell anyone the story, they can ask Koro if they want to know “and they shook on it”.