A Pākehā dance with Te Ao Māori : An autoethnographic inquiry into the invisible barriers to Pākehā relationships with Māori in education

Abstract

My research attempts to identify and examine some invisible barriers that Pākehā teachers and school leaders face when approaching opportunities to work with Māori and to engage in te ao Māori. Using three remembered personal experiences from educational contexts, I ask why some Pākehā react in ways that diminish their opportunities to learn about te ao Māori. My research uses the autoethnographic method of memory work to critically analyse three poignant memories where Pākehā (myself included) struggle to approach learning opportunities. My work focuses on the invisible barriers that Pākehā often face but do not see. I identify and analyse the invisible barriers of Pākehā identity, fragility, and ignorance to understand what stops Pākehā from ‘dancing’ with te ao Māori. As a dancer, I use the metaphor of dance to express my ideas and frame my analysis.