If we are to reap the benefits of Māori students fashioning and leading our future, and we must if our nation is to truly flourish, then ensuring the alignment of those in the academy and in the sector to step up, continues to be the imperative. This requires leaders who are able to weave (raranga) groups of people (tira) together in order to collaborate towards greater cohesion.

Rangatira therefore is the discursive position from which I am attempting to undertake this work. This means that unlike more traditional scholarship that sees the academia as a series of singular endeavours and successes, I understand it as being able to contribute to the success of others and knowing and acknowledging the strength of working together.

Therefore, like the Māori term for leader, rangatira and Freire’s writing I see my real strength and scholarship comes from “being with people”.