Inclusion of Mātauranga Māori
into VLNP Language Course Design
Inclusion of Mātauranga Māori
into VLNP Language Course Design
Rationale
Mātauranga Māori literally translated means ‘Māori knowledge’. It’s a modern term that broadly includes traditions, values, concepts, philosophies, world views and understandings derived from uniquely Māori cultural points of view. It traverses customary and contemporary systems of knowledge. In everyday situations, Mātauranga Māori is an umbrella term that draws on knowledge systems such as whakapapa (genealogy), tikanga Māori (Māori protocol), manaaki (hospitality and consideration), taonga tuku iho Māori (treasured arts and heritage).
Creative New Zealand, the National Arts development agency
We wanted to create an accessible selection of resources and teaching ideas based on mātauranga māori to share with our VLNP language teachers for online language course design. They can choose, adapt and add to them as they wish and as they feel appropriate for their learning context.
Topics include cultural practices/tikanga; the use of whakatauki/proverbs, similarities in whānau/societal values, flora and fauna, waiata/songs, legends/pūrākau, food and art/ngā toi.
This is still work in progress and new resources will be added as we come across them.
The New Zealand Curriculum has a vision of all young people, Maori and Pakeha, viewing each other as treaty partners and all cultures being recognised for the values they bring. Tataiako outlines this in its competency of manaakitanga; to demonstrate integrity, sincerity and respect towards Māori beliefs, language and culture. As language teachers, valuing culture comes easily to us as language and culture are inherent and intertwined in every lesson.
The Languages are inseparably linked to the social and cultural contexts in which they are used. Languages and cultures play a key role in developing our personal, group, national, and human identities. Every language has its own ways of expressing meanings; each has intrinsic value and special significance for its users.
New Zealand Curriculum
The ability to be a confident learner is seeing relevance in what we learn, no matter our age. This is underpinned in Ka Hikitia: identity, language and culture matter for Maori learners and, as a bi-cultural nation, and as treaty partners, so should they for all of us. Mātauranga Māori makes us unique in the world, and it lends itself to the subject area of languages with relative ease. S.M Mead argues that Mātauranga Māori provides some guidance as to what our responsibilities as treaty partners are to Māori. Dr Hikuroa provides a further, thorough definition of this in Mātaraunga Māori - the ūkaipō (source) of knowledge in New Zealand if you wish to read further around how this fits into your language lessons!
Ahakoa, he iti he pounamu! Though small, it is precious.