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Janelle Riki-Waaka & Josh Hough

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Janelle Riki-Waaka & Josh Hough
Image by CORE Education, all rights reserved.

uLearn21 – Thriving cultures and futures

Posted on August 27, 2021 by Janelle Riki-Waaka & Josh Hough

Janelle Riki-Waaka and Josh Hough share the second part of their blog on Aotearoa e tōnui nei | Thriving Aotearoa, the theme of uLearn21. Part 2 discusses Ngā ahurea e tōnui nei | Thriving cultures and Te tōnuitanga o te āpōpō | Thriving futures. See Part 1 here.

Ngā ahurea e tōnui nei | Thriving cultures

Janelle: I spoke earlier about the Māori culture on a journey from survival to thriving and what this might look like. Just this week we have had a debate play out in mainstream media about mātauranga Maori where many varied opinions about its relationship to science have been aired. To be honest, I don’t have sufficient expertise in either mātauranga Maori or Western science to weigh in on this debate in a deeply informed way. However, I will say that what led me to consider was whether two worldviews (that may be conflicting from time to time), can live in harmony next to each other, each with their own mana intact.

During the colonisation of Aotearoa, many Māori converted from our initial beliefs and spirituality to a Christian faith. Christianity continues to be very prevalent in the lives of many whānau Māori to this day. More recently some Māori have found that in fact Māori forms of spirituality can sit alongside a Christian faith in harmony, neither needing to dominate the other. Our right to choose the belief system and spirituality that best talks to our heart is something we should all value. Our ancestors articulated our desire for this in Te Tiriti o Waitangi Article 2 – Rangatiratanga or Māori self-determination. This article expresses our right to determine our own lives and live as Māori.

I don’t believe that it is necessary to belittle or disparage one set of beliefs in order to legitimise another. Wouldn’t it be great if we could simply acknowledge the existence of a multitude of world views and beliefs and simply allow people the right to choose that which aligns best with their own cultural values.ulearn21-speaker-images-300px-updated-karlo

“Not all indigenous knowledge is science – because it is the broad spectrum of art, religion, music, philosophy – the entire gamut of knowing! But not all indigenous knowledge isn’t science – it includes scientific knowing in multitudes of ways.” Dr Karlo Mila (uLearn21 keynote speaker)

In a thriving community I believe that’s what we would see. A diverse group of cultures living together and in relative harmony, each acknowledging and respecting the others’ worldviews, beliefs, languages, and cultural practices. In essence, a melting pot of awesomeness! Indigenous knowledge should not have to prove its legitimacy to the Western world. This was the very same mind set that was in play when many indigenous peoples around the world were colonised and assimilated. We know better now and should do better now.

Thriving cultures in Aotearoa are when cultural beliefs, languages and identities are alive and practiced by members of those communities. For me as Māori, this is the ability to connect to my whakapapa, speak my ancestors reo, and live as Māori. Decolonisation is when indigenous people reclaim their identity and breathe life into it so it can be treasured and passed down to our tamariki.

Image by CORE Education, all rights reserved.
Image by CORE Education, all rights reserved.

Josh: In writing this blog, I have to admit that coming to this part, I was challenged. Some questions began to come up for me as I considered what to write – “as a white heterosexual male, what even is my culture?”. “As someone not from Aotearoa but having lived here for 19 years, where do I belong culturally?”. “If I’m 15,000 miles away from where I was born, am I even connected to ‘my’ culture anymore?”

In an excellent conversation with Janelle, we unpacked the word “culture” together. Through it, I landed on the notion of culture as a ‘way of life’ – those behaviours, beliefs, and values we hold, often without realising it, that in part define who we are. They could be the fact that we have developed ‘cultural’ practices like starting everyday with a cup of tea, keeping our jam in the fridge, maintaining an even keel of emotion at all times, or that we incessantly feel the need to get out into rugged countryside every time things are getting stressful. The links to culture can be identified by those warm feelings we get when we think about a certain familiar routine that we adopt, a group we gravitate to, or an activity we regularly seek out. These behaviours can be learned, instilled, or simply a part of who we are, and are often most easily identifiable by the fact that others share them. To me, in a sense, knowing who you are is defining your culture.

Suffice it to say, culture is complex and diverse. It can include religion, ritual, what we eat, how we talk and act, how we celebrate, how we greet visitors, how we behave, and a thousand other things.

Cultures thriving in Aotearoa means tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti are able to authentically live into their values, customs, goals, morals, outlooks, languages, attitudes and more in harmony. As we celebrate the richness of cultures in Aotearoa, thriving means that we don’t try to shrug off our own culture or co-opt that of others – instead, we live into our own ways of being and doing while acknowledging, valuing and learning from the rich tapestry of other ways of doing the same.

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Te tōnuitanga o te āpōpō | Thriving futures

Josh: As a futurist (i.e. someone who practices strategic foresight), I embrace the notion that the future is not predetermined. Nor indeed is there any singular, correct future. There are a number of futures (plural intended) that are possible, probable, and preferred, and they can be shaped by decisions that are made today.

To pursue thriving futures in Aotearoa, it’s important to analyse the historical and present contexts in Aotearoa. And this means the whole picture, not just the parts that are good, attractive or easy to digest. As tangata Tiriti, this means owning our politics and our intentions and it involves actively seeking out partnership with tangata whenua. We don’t go into this work focused on our own individual wants and egos – instead, we approach it as an expression of shared aspirations that are about creating a better Aotearoa for our descendants to come.

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Image by CORE Education, all rights reserved.

In the education bubble, it’s easy to assume the equity pendulum has swung the right way. There’s no doubt that there have been some improvements in system level responses that are beginning to result in improved educational experiences for rangatahi. Awareness is on the increase, there are great examples of equitable partnership popping up throughout the country, and critical conversations are beginning to be had. But if we think that we’re there yet and the ideal future is now, then we’ve definitely drunk the Kool-Aid as there’s still a long way to go!

The invite then is to lean into working together in equitable partnership as we begin to co-design our preferred futures.

Janelle: I’m excited about the future of Aotearoa. I’m equally excited about our current place in the journey and the fact that I’m here now to bear witness to it and get involved.

I’m particularly looking forward to the inclusion of Aotearoa New Zealand Histories in our curricula and the positive impact this will have on our Treaty relationships. Sadly much of our history has not been taught in schools and some parts have even been swept beneath the rug. Teaching our history will not be about airing the dirty laundry though, it will be about empowering our tamariki with the wisdom we may have gleaned from the past, in order to inform a more positive future for all. By omitting parts of our history and ensuring they have not been learned or discussed, we have dismissed the intergenerational trauma that exists for Māori in Aotearoa. For Māori, acknowledgment of our history will go some way to perhaps heal some of that trauma.ulearn21-speaker-images-300px-updated-eruera

“As frustrating as the fight to end racism is, the recent commitments to teaching the history of Aotearoa gives us the opportunity to educate the next generation about the injustices of the past and give them the tools to move into the future.” Dr Eruera Tarena (uLearn21 keynote speaker)

Our many and diverse communities need allies. People sitting next to them in the waka as we traverse the many awa of Aotearoa. For NZ Pākehā to engage in allyship with Māori, it will undoubtedly involve some unlearning and relearning. In a recent article I read (What does it mean to act as an ally), one of the descriptors of being an effective ally is to know when to ‘yield the floor.’ This really resonated with me and I began to think about the intent of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and what it means to be an effective Treaty partner with Māori.

I think effective allyship may at times involve sitting in the passenger seat and simply admiring the view as you accompany Māori on their journey towards their desired destination. Ready and willing of course to jump out and muck in should you hit a pothole and get a flat tire! Other times it might look like co-navigating the journey together and reaching agreement about the desired destination. And other times, both Treaty partners may be in separate vehicles making their own way to their own destinations. Effective allies will need to learn how to discern which is the appropriate way of travelling on a case by case basis. The good news is, learning is about listening, asking questions and being prepared to fail in humble and respectful ways. A journey towards a thriving future is certainly a journey worth taking.

If you missed it, the first blog in this two-part series is available here.

Bring your team together and make the most of uLearn21 group pricing, learn more >

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Image by CORE Education, all rights reserved.

uLearn21 – Thriving individuals and communities

Posted on August 26, 2021 by Janelle Riki-Waaka & Josh Hough

Across two blogs, Janelle Riki-Waaka and Josh Hough share their perspectives on Aotearoa e tōnui nei | Thriving Aotearoa, the theme of uLearn21. In the first blog they discuss Te tangata takitahi e tōnui nei | Thriving individuals and Ngā hapori e tōnui nei | Thriving communities.

This year’s uLearn21 kaupapa has got us talking! As representatives of both tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti, we were interested in understanding where our perspectives and opinions aligned, and where they parted ways. A summary of our kōrero is shared with you all in this blog. We are both really excited about continuing this kōrero at uLearn21 and we look forward to seeing you all there!

Te tangata takitahi e tōnui nei | Thriving individuals

Janelle: When I think about people thriving as individuals, in the simplest sense, I think about people being happy in their own skin and enjoying a comfortable and fulfilled life. In essence, living happily as who they are, surrounded by people they love and having access to all that they need to thrive. For Māori, this might look like being deeply connected to their language identity and culture, having relationships that fill up their wairua (soul/spirit) and having access to the resources they need to nourish themselves and their whānau.

Image by CORE Education, all rights reserved.
Image by CORE Education, all rights reserved.

For many Māori it may be challenging to think of themselves in the ‘individual’ sense. Our concept of happiness and wellness is often associated with the happiness and wellness of those we love most. We are descended from tribal people and we tend to think about ourselves as but one part of the greater whole – one drop in the awa (river) that is our hapū. Our social structures and concept of whānau are often roles and responsibilities based. For example, we each have a role to play and associated responsibilities that contribute to the wellbeing of our whānau, hapū and wider community. What we know though is that in order to contribute to the happiness and wellness of our whānau, we need to be connected, fulfilled and healthy. For Māori, the health and wellness of our taiao (environment) also contributes to the happiness and wellness of our people.

Kei te ora te wai, kei te ora te whenua, kei te ora te tangata.
If the water is healthy and the whenua flourishes, so too are the people well. (Nō te awa Manawatū)

A thriving individual is one that can contribute to the communities they serve, supporting them to thrive whilst enjoying happiness and wellness for themselves as individuals. It’s a little like every aspect of a hangi contributing to the overall sweetness of the kai! The sweetness of the kumara is most definitely accentuated by being cooked alongside the chicken and pork, trust me!

Our Māori pūrākau (myths, stories or legends) often contain lessons and guidance from our ancestors on living our best lives so that we may thrive both as individuals and as a whānau. Supporting our tamariki and rangatahi to strengthen their connection to their Māoritanga is a vital part of the hauora of our people and our country.
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“Our Māori narratives and pūrakau have some beautiful themes. Themes of love, themes of respect of whakapapa so you know where you come from. The story of Matariki for example, where we teach about the nine stars of Matariki coming down to take care of Papatūānuku or Mother Earth. Who can’t resonate with a story or the theme of taking better care of Mother Earth and for that matter everyone else.” Jase Te Patu (uLearn21 keynote speaker)

Josh: The Merriam-Webster definition of the word “thrive” is “to grow vigorously”, and the word is often used synonymously with other positive terms like “blossom”, “flourish”, or “succeed”. So what then does it mean to “grow vigorously” in Aotearoa?

As an able-bodied man learning from an unwell disabled partner, my notions of what it means to thrive as an individual have been challenged. The Western paradigm and social media tells us that thriving individually is all about having new experiences, buying flash toys, travelling to destinations, and smashing our goals. But when someone is chronically unwell and they simply cannot do any or many of these things, what then does thriving as an individual look like? For Pākehā in Aotearoa, my answer to this lies in two words; purpose and responsibility.

Living a life of purpose involves living into our identities; being fully who we are and leaning into this to live a life on purpose. A thriving individual is someone who lives by their beliefs and values, yet does the work to continually challenge and grow these beliefs and values. They follow their passions in the ways that they are able, they prioritise balance, and they make a difference – sometimes in small ways, sometimes in grand ways, but consistently with an eye towards their fellow individuals. They rise above the mantras of “survival of the fittest” and “getting after it” and the idea of the constant hustle, and instead see themselves as interconnected – individuals who are meaningful parts of a whole. They are able to accept others as they are, practice gratitude, and be generous in their kindness.

As for responsibility, systems that have led to inequities in this nation were created and sustained by Pākehā, and so it goes to follow that the responsibility to reckon with the injustices caused by them, and the requirement to respond to them with action, falls to us. This is a collective responsibility, and while it can make some uncomfortable, it’s our duty as Treaty partners to learn about our Tiriti responsibilities and uphold them. Being aware of our position, responding to the legacy of colonisation, and doing “the work” is the requirement of Pākehā – both individually and collectively.

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Ngā hapori e tōnui nei | Thriving communities

Josh: To thrive in community requires knowing the communities you connect with and your part in them. Investing time to get to know communities and the people in them means you get to celebrate their expertise, learn from their stories, and work together with purpose. To achieve this, we need to press into and be guided by the shared values of the community – which is hard to do if we don’t have any community relationships!

Applying an equity lens, thriving communities are the drivers of meaningful and lasting change. Root causes of inequity are impacted by system-level changes, not by individual efforts. Narrow-focused programmes and initiatives that benefit individuals rather than the collective have limited success and can actually perpetuate inequity. No one school, early learning service, business, department, organisation or individual, no matter how well respected, funded, located, or resourced, can achieve system-level change alone. In essence, there is strength in numbers.

Image by CORE Education, all rights reserved.
Image by CORE Education, all rights reserved.

Recently, I had the privilege of engaging in some research with a valued colleague, Lex Davis, who belongs to some communities that I don’t, one of which is the takatāpui community. I’m not Māori or queer, but this does not prevent me from actively partnering with rangatahi takatāpui to work towards the collective goal of equity for young LGBTQIA+ Māori in Aotearoa. I do this through building trusting relationships with takatāpui, and leveraging my position of Pākehā power and privilege to help the voices of takatāpui be heard and learned from. I can’t do this work in isolation – alone, I have no knowledge, no standing, and no right – but together, I can help amplify the call to action in the spaces in which I move. Our work together has resulted in a kaupapa, Ko tātou tēnei, which invites those in other spaces to move their relationships with takatāpui from sympathetic to transformative.

While I’m writing about community here, not myself as an individual, it would be an oversight not to mention the gift this work has been to me personally. I’ve come to know young people whose wisdom, love, and knowledge have taught me much and moved my heart. This is the power of communities thriving – meaningful change for the individuals in them as they partner to enact system-level change

Mā te te tokomaha, ka kā te ahi.
By the many will the fires be kept burning.

Janelle: As I noted earlier in this blog, thriving communities rely on thriving individuals. For many years in Aotearoa’s history, tangata whenua have largely been in survival mode. We are still experiencing daily the aftermath of colonisation and the intergenerational trauma left in its wake.

Many of us are dreaming of the day our journey leads us as a people from ‘surviving’ to ‘thriving’. When our marae are warm and bustling with the mauri (life force/essence) of our people. When our language can be heard in everyday conversations at the corner dairy. When tangata Tiriti and tangata whenua are genuinely engaged in equitable partnerships, co-design, co-governance and shared decision making. We have made many inroads on our journey but sadly we are still encountering ignorance at every turn.

Many of you may have read in The Listener about the recent conflicting opinions about Western science and mātauranga Māori. Or have seen appalling comments from some members of our community following the Government’s formal apology to Pacific peoples of Aotearoa for the Dawn Raids. These bumps in the journey are often exhausting for the navigators and the passengers, however they are important reminders for us all of how far we still have to travel. They keep us alert on the journey and often further prepare us for the oncoming potholes!

In giving thought to what a thriving Aotearoa might look like, I consider the growing identity of Aotearoa and our cultural practices as a people. Our Aotearoatanga if you like! NZ Pākehā as a culture has been heavily influenced by the tikanga and kawa (marae protocol) of tangata whenua. Our everyday language use now incorporates many Māori words that have seamlessly integrated into our norm. E.g. whānau, mahi, kai, puku, kia ora, aroha, ka kite.

Our tikanga of manaakitanga and koha are largely practiced in homes and workplaces throughout the motu. I mean who would show up for dinner at someone’s house without taking something! If we traced back the origins of some of our everyday Kiwi-isms, we would see that many have been born and adapted from the tikanga and kawa of Ngāi Māori.

With that in mind, perhaps a thriving community is one that reflects the identity and values of those that inhibit it. In the case of our young and beautiful country, founded by tangata whenua and shared with tangata Tiriti, perhaps we are still defining our Aotearoatanga and in fact the best is yet to come.

Aotearoa is about to re-introduce an indigenous celebration to our calendar of public holidays – Matariki. Our country is at a point in our history where we will all collectively honour and celebrate an aspect of Māori tikanga together as a nation. What an amazing part of our journey to celebrate.

ulearn21-speaker-images-300px-updated-rangi“For me, Matariki is part of the decolonising of our division of time. It’s reclaiming our traditional, environmentally driven, timekeeping systems that allow us to interact with our environment and acknowledge the changing of the year. Matariki is for all New Zealanders. It’s not a Māori celebration any more in my mind. It’s become a national celebration and that’s its future for me and I think that’s a wonderful part about Matariki. It is about the best things of humanity such as being kind to each other, aroha, those are the basic principles. It’s about charity, hope. It’s about promise.” Dr Rangi Matamua (uLearn21 keynote speaker)

To learn more about Matariki visit the Living by the Stars website.

Part 2 of this blog, sees Janelle and Josh discuss Ngā ahurea e tōnui nei | Thriving cultures and Te tōnuitanga o te āpōpō | Thriving futures. Read Part 2.

uLearn21 is online 13-14 October, with all conference content available until 31 January 2022. Learn more and register now >

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