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The continuing consequences and impacts of colonisation

Posted on June 26, 2019 by Whare Isaac-Sharland

‘Matariki ahunga nui! Matariki tāpuapua!’

‘Matariki provider of plentiful food. Matariki the rainy season’

Ātea a Rangi Waharoa - Te Ika Roa/Milky Way 2018 - Permission given to use picture - Robb Te Kawa
Ātea a Rangi Waharoa – Te Ika Roa/Milky Way 2018 – Permission given to use picture – Robb Te Kawa

At the time of writing, we are very close to the winter solstice, which is celebrated on the shortest day of the year. Tama-nui-te-rā is beginning his final embrace with Hine Takurua, and planning the long journey back to Hine Raumati. Te Iwa o Matariki, which is commonly celebrated in contemporary times as the Māori New Year is also about to make its appearance much easier to see. A time of renewal and celebration, where we remember those things that have come to pass, and embrace our future desires.

Very recently my whānau and I attended a tangihanga that in hindsight demonstrated the continuing consequences and impacts of colonisation.
Colonisation in this instance, refers to Māori loss of sovereignty, which eventually paved the way for political, spiritual, economic, social and psychological domination. Whilst the impacts from loss of land, loss of power, loss of language and culture continues to prove devastating for Māori, the intergenerational impacts are further highlighted by low levels of participation and achievement in education and economic well-being. As well as over representation in negative areas such as imprisonment rates.

Kohukohurangi, Putorino, Te Mauri
Kohukohurangi, Putorino, Te Mauri

Due to this, my husband and I have spent the last 25 years revitalising the Māori language and traditional practices within our whānau. Our three tamariki are first language Māori speakers, and now there are three of us that are Te Aho Matua practitioners, with our eldest daughter currently teaching Pūtaiao in the wharekura section of our local kura kaupapa Māori. Our middle child is enrolled in Te Aho Tātairangi, a Māori-medium Bachelor of Education degree offered at Massey University. Our 10 year old speaks only te reo Māori to us all.

Our language reclamation journey took courage, resilience, stamina but most importantly, a huge leap of faith. Our decision to do so was based more on instinctive collective understandings, or the desire to be part of a Māori speaking movement, as opposed to a well thought out, foolproof plan. I think as far as succession plans go, we are very close to ticking off phase 2 in our whakarauora reo strategy, a language revitalisation plan that utilises theories and strategies from Kura Whakarauora Reo.

Our plan includes Māori language classes to our direct whānau as well as making safe spaces for the partners of our tamariki, who might not speak Māori, but have come into a household where approx 90% te reo Māori is spoken. Add to this the knowledge that we are very close to finishing our very first waka taurua build, and you may get an inkling of how hard my husband and I, as well as a strong collective of many Māori speaking whānau, have had to work to get here.

‘……one of the many trying to save our beautiful language and traditions from the continued onslaught of colonisation…..’

whare-hohepaThis is our reality now, but 25 years ago, we had a simple desire, and that was that our children’s first language be te reo Māori. In my head, I had consciously thought about the fact that I would become one of the many trying to save our beautiful language and traditions from the continued onslaught of colonisation, a demanding and enduring responsibility. However, in my heart I had confirmed the absolute importance of te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, how they shape my identity and psyche, to make me who I am.

Yet, through all my struggles and efforts to create a te reo Māori only household, to become a Māori-medium educator, to practise as a kaupapa Māori researcher and Te Aho Matua practitioner; attending this tangihanga clearly emphasised how far we have to go. It also reiterated the continued struggle of Māori to differentiate between modern expectations of what it is to be Māori, and a Māori of the marae.

To be clear, my husband and I both consider ourselves people of the marae and modern-day Māori. As such, we returned as quickly as we both were able to this tangihanga, made simpler as we work within Te Arareo Māori, the Māori-medium division of Tātai Aho Rau, CORE Education. While tangihanga leave was very easily arranged for my husband and I, this was not the case for many of our whānau who couldn’t get time off work to attend.

On arrival, it quickly became evident that we would have to lead in the front, or on the paepae. There were no kaikaranga, and the pae kaikōrero was also slim for the picking. These are honorable positions held upon the marae but in some areas there are so few kaikaranga and kaikōrero to fill them.

‘….continued impact that colonisation has on our people and our ability to carry out expected kawa and tikanga at necessary times….’

I make this statement to highlight the continued impact that colonisation has on our people and our ability to carry out expected kawa and tikanga at necessary times. It also exemplifies the honour and support of those who did their best to maintain kawa and tikanga throughout the duration of the tangihanga process.

Further intoning the desperate need for:

Putorino
Putorino
  • more te reo Māori within the curriculum, as well as,
  • additional free and easily accessible, good quality te reo Māori classes for those interested
  • increased culturally responsive pedagogy, (culturally sustainable pedagogy) within English-medium
  • more readily available Decolonistion – Treaty of Waitangi workshops for educators.

Throughout the duration of the tangihanga, we were constantly having to explain to the whānau some of our Māori practices, and why we do what we do. Explaining to a parent about the necessity of making sure your tamaiti isn’t running up and down the marae ātea during a pōwhiri seems like such a trivial concern. Until you become aware of the underlying ‘tikanga’ associated to this, a conversation for another day.

This was only one very small example of some of the tikanga infractions that continued to happen throughout the tangihanga, which left me bereft to think that in this day and age, there are still so many of our whānau whose experience has been influenced by the fact that they have been denied the right to understanding their own tikanga. If our whānau aren’t aware, how high are the chances that tamariki within these whānau aren’t aware, and eventually their tamariki mokopuna? Yet again, this consequence rests solely on the continued onslaught of colonisation.

I cannot get upset with our whānau who have not been taught our Māori language or traditions. But I can fight the rippling tide of colonisation that seeks to drown our collective Māori voice. I can continue to teach our young ākonga Māori about our reo, our tikanga, our histories, and to become critically aware of the continued effects of colonisation. So many have done these very things and continue to do this and more. The loss of tikanga is but a small consequence on the scale of inequity, especially considered alongside the recent Oranga Tamariki fiasco. Yet many injustices continue to occur on many fronts as shown by the following statistics.

As of March 2019, Māori make up 51.3% of the prison population (Department of Corrections, 2019) and 32.7% of Māori smoke tobacco (Cancer Society, 2019). They continue to have lower rates of school completion and much higher rates of unemployment. They are more likely to earn a personal income less than $10,000, receive income support, live in households without telecommunications which includes internet access, rent accommodation and live in crowded households (Ministry of Health, 2013).

Diabetes among Māori is about twice that of non-Māori (Ministry of Health, 2013). Whilst they are three times more likely to be admitted to hospital for asthma (Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ, 2018). Māori adults continue to have higher cancer registration rates, with Māori cancer mortality rates being 1.5 times higher than non-Māori. They are also twice as likely than non-Māori to die from cardiovascular disease and ischaemic heart disease (Heart Research Institute New Zealand).
Finally, Māori suicide rates are twice as high than non-Māori.

These results are the continued effects and impact of colonisation, a historical trauma that is statistically repeated worldwide in every indigenous corner of the world, where colonisation was part of their collective experience.

More importantly when reflecting on my tamariki, these statistics could potentially mean they have:

  • a 50 percent chance of being imprisoned
  • a low chance at completing school and being employed
  • a higher chance of dying from cancer, a cardiovascular disease, or committing suicide.

Statistics are especially terrifying when you are the target audience.

‘……….help break the continuing effects of colonisation…..’

I implore our educators everywhere to help break the continuing effects of colonisation for Māori and:

  • pronounce my name correctly, let me know that you respect melaptop
  • help me learn about my histories, strengthen my identity
  • show me pathways to learn my language and traditions, care about my culture
  • let me see myself reflected in my classrooms and schools, grow my sense of belonging
  • further encourage my sense of belonging, stregthen my ability to learn.

If you are not willing to be part of the solution, then you remain part of the problem.

At this time of year, close to the rise of Matariki, I have begun to reflect on goals that I have achieved. We are a whānau kōrero Māori, everywhere we go, nationally and internationally. We bathe in the beauty of this reality, and enjoy the fruits from our years of hardship and struggle. We have faced critics who often told us that speaking te reo Māori would get us nowhere, and to leave our Māoritanga at the door every time we left home.

whanauIn my lifetime, I would like to see the Māori language, traditions and practices, alongside the learning of our Aotearoa, New Zealand histories become compulsory components of the New Zealand Curriculum. These conversations might not be easy, in fact they will be confronting for many. However, they are necessary to assist our tamariki to become critically aware about our shared histories, our culture, and our identity.

As Tuia Encounters 250 approaches, perhaps we, as a nation, have reached a level of maturity for such tension fraught discussions to be brought to light. Perhaps.

 

 

 

Glossary

Māori English
Hine Raumati Summer Maidern
Hine Takurua Winter Maiden
Kaikaranga Caller
Kaikōrero Speaker
Karanga To Call, Formal Call
Kawa Ceremony or set of rituals
Kura Kaupapa Māori Māori Language Immersion School
Marae ātea Courtyard, public forum
Paepae Orators bench
Pono Truth, honesty, sincere
Pūtaiao Science
Tama-nui-te-rā The Sun
Tangihanga Funeral, Rights for the dead
Te reo Māori The Māori Language
Te reo Māori me ōna tikanga The Māori Language and Customs
Tika Correct, just, fair, right
Waka Taurua Double hulled, small sailing vessel
Whānau Family, primary economic unit in traditional times
Wharekura House of Learning

 

Māori Dictionary App

References

Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand (2018). Retrieved 2019: https://www.asthmafoundation.org.nz/research/key-statistics

Cancer Society (2019). Māori and Cancer. Retrieved 2019; https://central-districts.cancernz.org.nz/reducing-cancer-risk/what-you-can-do/smoking-and-cancer/smoking-and-cancer/maori-and-smoking/

Department of Corrections (2019). Māori and Prison Statistics. Retrieved, 2019; https://www.corrections.govt.nz/resources/research_and_statistics/quarterly_prison_statistics.html

Heart Research Institute New Zealand (2019). Heart Disease in the Māori Community. Retrieved from:
http://www.hri.org.nz/about-heart-disease/heart-disease-in-the-maori-community

Kura Whakarauora. (2019). Kura Whakarauora. Retrieved from http://www.kurawhakarauora.co.nz/

Ministry of Health (2013). Māori Health Statistics 2013. Retrieved, 2019: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/populations/maori-health/tatau-kahukura-maori-health-statistics/nga-awe-o-te-hauora-socioeconomic-determinants-health/socioeconomic-indicators

Māori Dictionary (2019)
https://maoridictionary.co.nz/search?idiom=&phrase=&proverb=&loan=&histLoanWords=&keywords=whanau

Paki, R. (2019). TUIA ENCOUNTERS 250. Retrieved from https://www.tuia250.nz/

Reid, M. (2019). New Zealand’s own ‘stolen generation’: The babies taken by Oranga Tamariki. Retrieved from https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/113395638/new-zealands-own-stolen-generation-the-babies-taken-by-oranga-tamariki

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (2019). Te Tokoiwa a Matariki. Retrieved (2019) https://www.twoa.ac.nz/Pages/Te-Iwa-o-Matariki?sc_lang=en

Featured image Matariki by Ben Gracewood on Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0

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Deep Learning – Stories of impact

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Margot McKeegan

Over the past few years an increasing number of New Zealand schools have become involved in New Pedagogies for Deep Learning (NPDL). NPDL is a global collaboration of more than 1,400 schools in seven countries, seeking ways to transform teaching and learning approaches, and provide the conditions that will facilitate deep learning.

The challenge of making learning relevant, engaging, and sustainable in the modern world is one that is confronting to all schools. The NZ schools in the NPDL project represent a variety of contexts, with their own priorities and challenges, and each is using the NPDL tools, frameworks, and support to develop a coherent, school-wide approach to achieving their aspiration for deep learning.

Deep Learning Competencies

At the heart of it all are the Deep Learning Competencies, better known as the Six Cs. These are the skill sets each and every learner needs to achieve and excel in, in order to flourish in today’s complex world. These competencies form the foundation for the New Measures. NPDL teachers use the Deep Learning Progressions to assess learner’s current levels in each of the six Deep Learning Competencies. They combine this with information about learner achievement, interests, and aspirations to get a clear understanding of what each learner needs.

This is illustrated in the video below where Tracey Scott, Visual Arts teacher from Bream Bay College, shares her story of using the 6Cs in her senior NCEA classroom.

Also from Bream Bay College, Gwyneth Cooper has been using the NPDL frameworks to establish strong connections between Cultural Competencies and Deep Learning. How can we weave the 6C learning competencies into learning experiences which are socially and culturally located?

Deep Learning Lab

Participating schools gather each year at a Deep Learning Lab (DLL), where they come to be inspired and informed about the ways they can deepen learning in their schools. The 2018 DLL was held in Auckland, which included inspiration from CORE’s Rosalie Reiri on the significance of local context and the development of cultural narratives and global NPDL team member, Mag Gardner, sharing her expertise on building collaborative cultures.

After attending the DLL in Auckland the teachers from Hawea Flat School in Otago gave feedback on what they’d learned from attending the Lab:

“We had a team of people come to the Deep Learning Lab in Auckland that ranged from teachers presenting workshops, lead teachers in other areas of the school as well as teachers new to our school who had little understanding of NPDL. The keynote speakers are critical and there was something there for everyone. As a team we connected strongly with Rosalie and her place-based keynote address and also with Mag Gardner. It’s great to hear from international speakers as well as those from NZ. The workshops catered well for the different places we’re all at on our NPDL journey. We came away feeling energised, inspired and everyone motivated to go ‘deeper’. Everyone on board our waka is paddling in the same direction. It affirmed a lot of what was happening back at our school and showed us how we could go further. We felt confident to ‘let go’ and follow the children’s lead while at the same time engaging more with our parent community and what they felt was important for their children to learn. We hadn’t in the past found that out from parents during the ‘planning’ phase and after the Deep Learning Lab we followed multiple times with our parent community. One of the biggest impacts has been us realising how important it is to show our parents what ‘deep’ learning is as many of them have come through a system where test outcomes have been the main priority for learning.”

Cultural narratives

Building on what they had learned at the DLL, teachers from Hillpark School and Clevedon School in Auckland decided to put into practice the ideas they’d gained from Rosalie regarding creating a cultural narrative relating to their local context. They identified that a number of their teachers didn’t actually live in the same area as their respective schools, so set about creating an “Historical hikoi” to help build an appreciation of the cultural histories of their local areas that they could then integrate more effectively into their classroom programmes. Their story is shared in the video below.

Wellbeing and literacy

The NZ schools involved in NPDL are demonstrating a variety of ways to implement the frameworks available through being a part of the NPDL project. A recent article in the Education Gazette records the story of Cobden School near Greymouth that has used a wellbeing focus to improve boys’ literacy.

Learning partnerships

Providing opportunities for immersive, trans-disciplinary approaches to learning that involve close links with the local community are a key focus of what schools in the NPDL programme seek to achieve. In the video below, Janis Sandri from Holy Family Catholic school in Wanaka shares her school’s story of how they formed learning partnerships with key members and organisations in their local community to support learner driven passion projects.

As each of the stories of impact in this post reveal, the NPDL programme is not a ‘recipe’ to follow. Rather, it provides a robust set of frameworks and tools, together with the support of experienced facilitators and a broad community of educators, that can be used to augment and further develop the work you are doing in your school already. The challenge of how we meet the needs of each individual learner while creating a localised curriculum and ensuring that the learning is deep is not an easy task, but with the support of a local and global community, and with the tools to help us plan for and measure deep learning, it does become more achievable.

NZ NPDL Deep Learning Lab 2021 – registrations open now

A two-day New Pedagogies for Deep Learning hybrid event. Be a part of the action!

Attend in-person or virtually 22-23 July – Find out more

 

If you’re interested in knowing more about how your school or cluster could become a part of the NPDL programme in NZ please contact:
Margot McKeegan margot.mckeegan@core-ed.ac.nz or
This blog post was written collaboratively by Margot and Derek.

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