Week 6 - My Journey to Conscientisation (Assignment 1: Synthesised Reflective Statement)

 

In the immediate years following the signing of Te Tiriti, a tidal wave of British settlers arrived, starting a long history of colonisation and dehumanising of Māori. Tawhai (2023) states that “Māori continue to suffer entrenched inequalities” (p. 51). Te Tiriti provisions were not upheld, which has had huge implications for Māori self-determination and positive Māori development and educational outcomes (Tawhai, 2023). Te Tiriti and the Treaty of Waitangi are two distinct texts written in te reo Māori and English. Translation from English to te reo Māori meant some of the terms in English were not comparable with te reo Māori. The English version of The Treaty gave sovereignty to the Crown. Sovereignty was not a concept known to Māori who operated in smaller hapu/iwi groups. At no stage was the notion of sovereignty considered something that could be given away (Hēnare, 2018).

 

Colonisation created an education system where there is not complete and uninhibited access to te reo Māori, tikanga, kaupapa and mātauranga Māori (Te Maro & Averill, 2023) as promised in Te Tiriti. It also created a societal structure where under the Doctrine of Discovery Māori “had no property or human rights, and could not safely govern themselves” (Ngata, n.d.), leading to firmly rooted systemic racism. Because of this, a foreign identity was forced upon Māori and the dominant narrative (McAdams, 2011) of the Pākeha culture stripped Māori of their taonga, whenua, and relegated them to second-class citizens in their own land, in all spaces including education (Lyndon, 2021).

 

Narrative identity as described by McAdams (2011), is the internal sense of self that makes sense of your life and justifies who you are and where you might be going. It is shaped by the encounters and events throughout your life and can change over time depending on those. When I relate this to my own education story and my own personal narrative identity, I can see the immense influence my immediate and wider family have had on my journey through the education system. From a very early age having a tertiary education was an expectation for the members of my family. To me, this was a completely normal and achievable aspiration for the future. Alongside this, I had very positive experiences of schooling and had supportive and encouraging teachers who maintained this narrative that a tertiary qualification was not only desirable but was easily obtainable. This was an era of ‘magical consciousness’ (Freire, 2005), where we accept our lives as we see them in our immediate vicinity and are not aware of the wider socio-economic complications or contradictions. I believed that the world I saw in front of me was a true representation of the world as a whole.

For Māori however, the dominant narrative of a Pākeha westernised education system meant that their cultural identity was suppressed to fit within the colonial structure of education that came with the settlers. The provisions of Te Tiriti gave Māori tino rangatiratanga to protect their taonga; the recognition and protection of language, identity, and culture, and all of mātauranga Māori (Tawhai, 2023). The reality was that the education system had no place for these. For many many decades, Māori could not see themselves in their education. Their language was forbidden, te ao Māori was excluded from the curriculum and the shift from a collective view of life was replaced with an individual-centric perspective of education. Missing from the New Zealand education system was the Māori pedagogy of sharing experiences, whanaungatanga, and explicit links between school and community (Averill, 2019 as cited in Averill & Te Maro, 2023). Māori aspirations could not be realised and this led to a strong disconnection for many Māori and an extended period of underperformance (Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga - Ministry of Education, 2020 as cited in Te Maro & Averill, 2023, p. 9).

Blissfully unaware, I succeeded greatly in my journey through the education system (and life) due to the dominant narrative being in my favour. I held the assumption that everyone had an equal opportunity to access education in Aotearoa and that tertiary education would be achievable for all. As I went through university, I didn’t think about the large part of society that wasn’t represented in my lectures or on campus. The stark reality is that when I graduated from university, 36% of Māori and 26% of Pacific Peoples between the ages of 25 and 64 years old held a tertiary qualification, compared to 55% of the NZ European population (Ministry of Education, 2023). Even after 25 years, the difference between NZ European (67%) and Māori (51%) adults who hold a tertiary qualification is still vast, with the gap having closed by only 3% (Ministry of Education, 2023). Education Counts (2010) concludes that tertiary education can have a positive social effect, alongside an improvement in employment and income. It also states that the clearest social benefit of tertiary education is the strong intergenerational support for their children’s learning from whānau.

At the New Zealand Association of Maths Teachers 2023 national conference, Melinda Webber from the University of Auckland talked about the success and achievement of Māori students. She said “they can’t aspire to be, what they don’t see” (Webber, 2023), about the influence of role models. This sentiment is also relayed in her report about supporting tamariki Māori to be successful in learning and education where she says that tamariki look to their whānau “for inspiration as the people they want to emulate.” (Bright & Webber, 2024, pg. 25.) If the enrolment rates and achievement rates of Māori continue to sit around 50%, then up to half of the Māori tamariki of Aotearoa are not seeing their whānau role models achieving a tertiary qualification.

My tertiary qualification took me to a fairly remote part of Northern Hawkes Bay where I lived and taught in a community that was an even mix of generational farming families and transient families who had moved predominantly from Wairoa in search of cheaper accommodation and/or jobs. A change in my consciousness started. Freire (2005) talks about viewing life through a naive consciousness lens, where there is an unawareness of social systems that create oppression and privilege. At this stage, I started to see the different parts of society - those similar to my own life and those that were different. I recognised the differences, but I did not recognise the systemic societal issues that contributed to these differences - yet.

Fast forward 20 years and I began to do some in-depth work around Te Tiriti, culturally responsive pedagogy, and education reform through Poutama Pounamu from the University of Waikato. I started to question the dominant narrative that there was equitable access to education in New Zealand. I started to recognise and understand the significant barriers that Māori face when it comes to education. My critical consciousness (Freire, 2005) started to develop, and I wondered just what it was that I could do to be a change-maker. This conscientisation started me on the journey of reflecting on the marginalised communities in our society and how as an educator I can be part of the transformation process to unveil a “pedagogy of all people in the process of permanent liberation” (Freire, 2005, pg. 54.).

Engaging in critical consciousness allowed me to develop an understanding that the dominant narrative or dominant culture had become ingrained in schools and the wider education system. Freire (2005) describes two stages of confronting oppressive practices. In the first stage, the oppressed identify those structures and practices and commit to transforming the oppression. In the second stage, the transformation means that there is a shared pedagogy for all, to liberate everyone. In my own story or pathway to being more critically conscious, I started to see that for marginalised communities there were significant barriers to not only education but a complete imbalance of power structures within society. All stemming from the injustices of the provisions and principles of Te Tiriti not being honoured.

In some ways, the education system and the associated curriculum documents have been on their own journey of conscientisation. The curriculum documents from the 1990s have some mention of the Treaty of Waitangi but more in a way of recognising that it exists rather than critically examining it. It states that essential learning will include “the effects of colonisation for Māori and Pākehā” (MOE, 1997, pg. 23) but does not talk about any inequalities or marginalisation. In 2007 The New Zealand Curriculum was published and we started to see the inclusion of Te Tiriti o Waitangi alongside the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty of Waitangi is listed as one of the principles of the curriculum and the vision states “Māori and Pākehā recognise each other as full Treaty partners” (MOE, 2007, pg. 8). At this stage Te Tiriti has been included in, rather than informed by. 

In 2022 a refreshed curriculum was released with the name of Te Mātaiaho (to observe and examine the strands of learning). There were four main reasons for the curriculum refresh, with the first and foremost being to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Mātairangi is the guiding overarching kaupapa that expresses the centrality of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its principles, and New Zealand’s vision for education (MOE, 2023, pg. 6). This version of Te Mātaiaho was firm in its belief that we needed to move past honouring Te Tiriti to truly giving effect to it and “to those ākonga who have historically been left behind or situated on the margins.” (MOE, 2023, pg. 8). In recent weeks we have seen the start of the current governments refresh of Te Mātaiaho and it is disheartening to see key sections that relate to Te Tiriti missing. The overarching kaupapa of Te Tiriti has now been replaced by the science of learning and in both the English and Maths purpose statements, the whole paragraph about mātauranga Māori as a distinctive body of knowledge has been removed (MOE, 2024). It seems there is still much work to be done.

For Māori, that work is already being done as a way of resistance, engaging in critical consciousness and creating a counter-narrative (McAdams, 2011). Freire (2005) describes this transformation as the oppressed being their “own example in the struggle for their redemption” (p. 54). Māori developed their own schooling system that was designed for and by Māori. A system where kaupapa Māori is central and where institutions have the self-determination that was promised in Te Tiriti and as an alternative to mainstream education. Ākonga are immersed in the richness of Māori culture, language, and identity and there is a shift away from the traditional measures of academic success which enables a more holistic definition of success (Simmonds, 2020).

Just as I succeeded in my tertiary studies, Māori are succeeding as Māori at Wānanga. Previously the emphasis has been on minimising barriers for Māori students within non-Māori tertiary institutions. Institutions that are based on a colonial approach to education (Simmonds, 2020). The Ministry of Education's (2020) Tertiary Education Strategy looks to not only reduce barriers to education but to also meaningfully incorporate te reo Māori and tikanga Māori into all learning. However, the reality is that these spaces are still influenced and driven by Western cultural hegemony. Wānanga offers a learning environment that is dedicated to the Māori ways of being and doing (Simmonds, 2020). In August 2023, the passing of the Education and Training Amendment Bill gave Wānanga the option to operate as non-Crown entities where they would be able to answer to iwi and move closer to achieving their aspirations (RNZ, 2023). A move towards rangatiratanga, an important provision in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The Te Huri Hanganui project suggests that Wānanga, and kura kaupapa, are an example of transformative action by Māori to strengthen kaupapa Māori in ways that are best for Māori communities (Ministry of Education, n.d.). It is a pedagogical shift away from euro-centric practice, to a shared vision that embraces the collective (Smith, 2005), and views Te Tiriti in its entirety rather than individual aspects of it (Tawhai, 2023). A space to change and transform the status quo to a more equitable approach (University of Waikato, n.d.) and bring about systemic change.

As an educator in the mainstream system, there is still much that I can do to encourage and ensure that all tamariki Māori have the opportunities for success that I did. Schools can perpetuate or diminish the dominant narratives that exist around marginalised communities. In the context of Aotearoa, educators need to ensure that Māori students feel acknowledged and valued so they are empowered to develop a positive narrative identity linked to their culture. As Adichie (2009) shares, stereotypes emphasise how we are different not how we are similar and it is important to hear all of the stories of a person or to learn all of the aspects of their culture to build a counter-narrative.

 

Working on that counter-narrative involves me being a persistent and strong voice for “equitable privileging of mātauranga Māori and te reo Māori” (Te Maro & Averill, 2023, p. 8) in the initial teacher education space that I work in. It ensures that the success of my tertiary ākonga depends on their ability to implement culturally sustaining pedagogical practice that prioritises partnership and participation. To champion Te Tiriti as the central pillar of our curriculum regardless of whether it is stated in documentation or not.

Haere taka mua, taka muri; kaua e whai.

 

Reference List:

 

Adichie, C. (2009, July). The danger of a single story [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?subtitle=en

 

Averill, R. & Te Maro, P. (2023). He rerenga-Voyaging for Aotearoa and Tiriti-led education appropriate for Aotearoa. In R. Averill & P. Te Maro (Eds.), Ki te Hoe! Education for Aotearoa (pp. 20-39). NZCER Press.

 

Bright, N., & Webber, M. (2024). Poipoia ngā tamariki: How whānau and teachers support tamariki Māori to be successful in learning and education. NZCER.

 

Freire, P. (2005). Education for critical consciousness. Continuum.

Hēnare, M. (2018, June 27). He Tohu Interview [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzpUfKu-7PI&t=2s

 

Lyndon, M. (2021, June 22). Our shameful health statistics show colonisation has failed Māori. NZ Herald.

 

McAdams, D. P. (2011). Narrative identity. In S. J. Schwartz, K. Luyckx, & V. L. Vignoles (Eds.), Handbook of identity theory and research (pp. 99–115). Springer Science and Business Media.

 

Ministry of Education. (n.d.) Te Huri Hanganui Project. [Fact Sheet].

Ministry of Education. (1997). Social Studies in the NZ Curriculum. Learning Media.

 

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Learning Media.

 

Ministry of Education. (2010). Benefits of tertiary certificates and diplomas: Exploring economic and social outcomes. Education Counts.

Ministry of Education. (2020) Statement of National Education and Learning Priorities and Tertiary Education Strategy. [Fact Sheet].

 

Ministry of Education. (2023). Tertiary achievement and attainment. Education Counts.  

 

Ministry of Education. (2023). Te Mātaiaho: The Refreshed New Zealand Curriculum. Learning Media.

 

Ministry of Education. (2024). Te Mātaiaho: The New Zealand Curriculum Mathematics and Statistics Year 0 - 8. Learning Media.

 

Ngata, T. (n.d.). Doctrine of Discovery [Fact Sheet]. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eQN8b7VIuuTEA6Da-b6U36FAPoCUHqgV/view?fbclid=IwAR3kf-02nEBToIKoIYLO4olokfL-JV3113JPW6FMvCiQa7o143-xcqA7BwM 

 

RNZ. (2023, August 16). Wānanga now able to self-determine how they operate. Radio New Zealand News.

 

Simmonds, H. (2020). Kaikaikaroro – enhancing student success: The learnings from Wānanga. Ako Aotearoa.

 

Smith, G. H. (2005). Beyond political literacy: From conscientization to transformative praxis. Counterpoints, 275, 29-42.

 

Tawhai, V. (2023). Mā te ihu o te waka-Te Tiriti as our guide in educational settings. In R. Averill & P. Te Maro (Eds.), Ki te Hoe! Education for Aotearoa (pp. 40-60). NZCER Press.

 

Te Maro, P. & Averill, R. (2023). He whakatakinga-Why Tiriti-led change is needed for New Zealand education: Preparing our hoe. In R. Averill & P. Te Maro (Eds.), Ki te Hoe! Education for Aotearoa (pp. 1-19). NZCER Press.

 

University of Waikato. (n.d.). Activating Critical Theories. Poutama Pounamu.

 

Webber, M. (2023). Kia tū rangatira ai: Reconceptualising student success and thriving. [Power Point slides].