Ahi ka: Keeping the home fires burning across new contexts The Experiences of Māori Mothers at the University of Auckland

Abstract

Engaging in tertiary studies is often a positive and rewarding, albeit challenging, life experience for many Māori students. Within education, both Māori students and mothers are marginalised by the dominance of neoliberal and colonial ideologies. Māori mothers are therefore placed at a compelling nexus where they must negotiate different and interacting forms of sexism and racism within academic contexts. Drawing on data from 11 semi-structured interviews, this thesis examines how Māori mothers confront and manage challenges encountered in tertiary settings by drawing upon their unique ways of being. Using thematic analysis, informed by a Mana Wahine methodological approach and social constructionism, I situate participant's experiences within mātauranga wāhine Māori across a backdrop of colonial social formations. This thesis identifies three core themes. Theme one, Mātauranga Māori and connecting spheres of whānau and the University, outlines how Māori mothers use whānau as a site of meaning-making, enacting mātauranga wāhine Māori and distinctly Māori ways of being across a range of contexts. Theme two, Institutional Barriers and Colonial Learning Spaces, discusses sociocultural obstacles, and limiting colonial discourses that pervade the university environment. Finally, theme three, Mana wāhine: Leading the way for future generations, explores the incredible knowledge, leadership and imagination Māori mothers bring to their education in order to transform their whānau and wider Māori communities. In this thesis, I outline key ways that university systems can find inspiration in mātauranga wāhine Māori in order to create transformative and supportive learning environments for Māori mothers.