With the teaching of Te Reo Māori becoming optional for all schools across Aotearoa, this Te Tiriti O Waitangi day, we hear from Taiaroa, a kindergarten teacher in Tāmaki Makaurau. Reflecting on her passion for teaching + the importance of including Te Reo Māori in the school curriculum, Tai with hopes for a more united future.
"I have faith in our people, tangata whenua and tangata tiriti, and I remain positive when I think about our country's future. I think our government can make as many policies as they want, but they will never take away our mana, our reo and our taonga. And the more we share these things with non-Māori, the more whānau we get on our waka, the stronger we all become."
I’m so honoured to be able to share my whakaaro/thoughts with you about the importance of Te Tiriti education in our kura. I’ve been an ECE kaiako for the past 4 years in the heart of Grey Lynn at a beautiful centre with a range of families who come from many different ethnic backgrounds. We always acknowledge and celebrate our cultural diversity, as we recognise the importance of tamariki knowing who they are and having a strong sense of their cultural identities. As a Māori kaiako in a predominantly non Māori centre, I feel as if I have a special opportunity to share my mātauranga Māori with my tamariki and whānau. This is not only important to me and the people I work with, but is also a huge part of our curriculum document, Te Whāriki. We in the world of early childhood education are blessed with a bi-cultural document as our framework for all that we do at mahi. It requires us to honour Te Tiriti in all that we do, and naturally incorporate tikanga and kaupapa Māori within our practice. However, this does not come easy for most, as a large number of ECE kaiako in mainstream settings are non-Māori, with many coming from overseas. That’s where I come in handy!
My kaupapa/philosophy is that anyone in Aotearoa, New Zealand can be a part of Te Ao Māori, as long as your heart and your wairua are willing to care for our mea tapu/sacred things - such as our people, customs, land, water & sea. I believe that Te Ao Māori is for everyone, and through my mahi I am privileged to be able to support people to authentically incorporate Te Ao Māori into their lives. Our tamariki, who are a diverse range of ethnicities, can say our centre karakia, sing waiata, perform haka and pūkana with not only pride but also with knowledge and understanding behind this. It’s the most beautiful thing in my opinion, these tamariki are growing up knowing that just because they aren’t Māori like me, doesn’t mean they can’t speak Māori or do kapa haka. They are being educated in a space where it’s normal to hear everyone speaking Māori and singing waiata. My wish is for them to continue having authentic experiences like these as they move on from ECE into their primary school journey. I have faith in our people, tangata whenua and tangata tiriti, and I remain positive when I think about our country's future. I think our government can make as many policies as they want, but they will never take away our mana, our reo and our taonga. And the more we share these things with non-Māori, the more whānau we get on our waka, the stronger we all become.
If we want to be more united as a people, we need to learn about each other. We need to learn about the past in order to move forward as one. Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua. Our tamariki need to learn about Te Tiriti and Te Ao Māori to remove barriers, break assumptions and truly connect with the places they call home. This is something everyone can be a part of, and I believe should be a part of, regardless of who you are. It’s what makes Aotearoa special, and as a kaiako, it’s my mission to help raise and educate our mokopuna, or future generations, in a way that KEEPS Aotearoa special.
For tangata whenua and tangata tiriti… Māori and non-Māori… for all!
No reira, he aha te mea nui o the ao?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
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