Abstract:
This thesis investigates the concept of cultural identity in the mainstream early childhood education context in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The interaction of cultural identity with teacher pedagogy and practice, as well as some potential impacts of teacher cultural identity on the cultural identity of young learners, is examined through autoethnographic and narrative data. The key research questions relate to cultural identity and how it interacts with teachers' pedagogy and practice, curriculum and other guiding documents, and the cultural learning opportunities of young learners. Autoethnographic methodology is integrated with kaupapa Māori methodology, producing a focus on the researcher's specific bicultural identity, including indigenous and colonial-settler cultures. Narrative data illustrates how this hybrid identity is manifested in teaching philosophy, pedagogy and practice in the New Zealand early childhood education context. The theme of disconnection is explored through the development of the researcher's cultural identity. This theme runs through the correlating historical and sociocultural landscapes, to the current New Zealand education system, and the experiences of Māori educators and learners within it. Key Terms: cultural identity, kaupapa Māori, autoethnography, early childhood education, bicultural practice, hybrid identity, Māori identity, colonial-settler identity.
