Rāwini Ngaamo
Ko Kakepuku te maunga
Ko Mangapū te awa
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Ngāti Maniapoto te iwi
Ko Matakore te hapū
Ko Kaputuhi te marae
My whānau and I are the product of the deliberate and devastating colonisation of Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand. I work to ensure that all of our tamariki, mokopuna and whānau never have to experience the loss of identity, culture and language through education again. My Maniapoto whakapapa comes to me through my father and my Scottish heritage through my mother. Together, like many other bicultural whānau, we are finding our way back to ourselves through learning, understanding and healing so we may once again experience mauri ora in its fullest sense.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
The events leading up to and around the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi are important to know about and understand to help support a greater awareness of colonisation and its impact on Aotearoa New Zealand. It also begins to address
the misinformation and erroneous beliefs that have been perpetuated through the lack of clear, relevant and balanced information being presented in education and the media in the past.
Through creating relational spaces as a facilitator working alongside educators, we may together examine the historical, social and cultural contexts that make up the fabric of New Zealand society and the place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi within this. From these experiences we can then consider and reflect on our own beliefs, practices and actions that may have contributed to the ongoing inequities experienced by Māori and minority groups and what we might do differently in the future. Upholding the mana of all is a critical part of this work for me as we take responsibility to create relationships that reflect the principle of mana ōrite.
Kaupapa Māori
Kaupapa Māori is the foundation of self-determination and self-realisation for Māori. It challenges the dominance of the pākehā worldview and re-focuses on mana motuhake. It privileges Māori ways of knowing and being and through these practices can help us all to unlearn the sometimes invisible but often dominant practices that are inherent in educational sites across Aotearoa.
As a facilitator I work to ensure that my practices are reflective of kaupapa Māori and support educators to recognise and value the expertise and knowledge held within Te Ao Māori. In doing so, we are more likely to support through our collective actions, the reclamation and restoration of Māori histories and knowledge, as well as the revitalisation of te reo me ōna tikanga Māori.
Critical Consciousness
Critical theory informs critical consciousness. It is a call to action to examine our beliefs, practices, systems and structures in the light of equity and democracy. Through the use of resources and activities I assist educators to explore and develop deep critical reflection. Social injustice requires us all to critically consider the impact of these things and to be willing to analyse, deconstruct and take new actions that meaningfully address the inequitable outcomes within our current education system.
Whakawhāiti (inclusion)
All tamariki learn best when they feel accepted, when they enjoy positive relationships and when they are active, visible members of their community and when they feel they belong.
I work alongside educators and communities to recognise discriminatory practices and to assist them in giving life to actions that support a strong sense of belonging for tamariki, mokopuna and whānau. This involves committing to a strengths based approach to teaching and learning enacting the principles of tika (doing the right thing), pono (acting with integrity) and aroha (with care and sincerity).
Referees
Phillipa Woodward: Deputy Principal, Otumoetai College. pwoodward@otc.school.nz
Dianne Web: Principal, Nelson Intermediate School. dwebb@nelsonintermediate.school.nz