Te Kauae Tuku Iho; Inheriting the Sacred Jawbone: Re-imagining Māori cultural competence in education by engaging the wisdom of indigenous knowledge keepers

Abstract

Western-centric education in New Zealand is a political tool used to actively and aggressively force colonisation, assimilation, and integration on Māori. The attempted elimination of te reo, tikanga, and mātauranga Māori through education has caused considerable, and in some instances irreparable, damage to Māori cultural identities and social structures. According to the Ministry of Education, a pathway to reparation lies in a policy designed to enable indigenous students to experience education success, as Māori. However, the Māori education strategy and related support resources overlay New Zealand’s history and on-going experiences of colonisation with limited space to critically examine the impact of that history. The same education system that sought to remove Māori identities now aspires to develop Māori cultural competence in education professionals, and positions itself as expert enough in te ao Māori to achieve this. A key purpose of this thesis is to challenge this objective by engaging the wisdom of highly esteemed Māori knowledge holders, kaumātua. Kaumātua are Māori elders with specific knowledge and expertise who seek to solve contemporary issues by engaging ancient knowledges and processes. This thesis is underpinned by kaupapa Māori and decolonising methodologies that take for granted the power of indigenous knowledge systems to challenge and transform injustices. This research approach enables the perspectives, expectations and aspirations of kaumātua to drive analyses of cultural competence as an appropriate response to an unjust education system. This research will analyse the alignment between English-medium education concepts of Māori cultural competence, and the future of education for Māori as envisioned by those who live successfully, as Māori. Centralising the wisdom of indigenous knowledge holders will challenge the very notion of cultural competence within the context of New Zealand’s colonial history, and will explore the complexities and possibilities of achieving shared responsibility for Māori education success.