My  understanding of indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness and discussion on communication and special activities.

“Indigenous knowledge refers to the understandings, skills and philosophies developed by societies with long histories of interaction with their natural surroundings…. This knowledge is integral to a cultural complex that also encompasses language, systems of classification, resource use practices, social interactions, ritual and spirituality.”(Unesco)

I like this definition of indigenous knowledge as it is so simple and so inclusive. It provides me with a frame of reference to decide if something may be based on indigenous knowledge, or possibly have been impacted by colonial ideas,  It helps me to use different cultural lenses.

I am a Pakeha New Zealander, and was brought up in in a rural. predominantly Maori area, where the school and marae were the focal point of the community.  My mother’s family was German, my father’s English.  My husband immigrated to New Zealand from Holland as a child. I tatai to Te Aupouri, Ngati Kahu, Te Atiawa; and  Ngati Whatua, and work in the Ngapuhi rohe.

Our school is is some ways almost monocultural, having a 90% Maori roll.  Many of the teachers are fluent Te Reo speakers, and the rest of us hear it regularly  My school fits somewhere on the green/ red pillars of Ann Milne’s action continuum.  In some ways we match more the Whare tapawha idea with the fifth dimension of whenua added.  (See Heaton, 2015)  We are Te Pu o te Wheke, we are inside Te Whare Tapu o Ngapuhi., and this establishes  and grounds us.  Our core values - Whanaungatanga, Aroha, Kawenga ako and Mana tangata ensure we care for the wairua, tinana, hinengaro and whanau of our students.  We begin each day with a karakia, some classes finish the day with a karakia mutunga.  Mihi whakatau and powhiri are the usual way to greet visitors.   Tikanga and kawa are explained where necessary, and to some extent embedded in our policies and systems. 

The school has been involved with Te Kotahitanga for many years now, and many teachers practise elements of the effective teacher profile (ETP., Bishop)  The teachers all show authentic caring for the students as Maori;and have high expectations of their students’ learning.  They give feed back and feed forward; and use contexts where the students are able to apply their own knowledge.  A range of teaching strategies are used; and teaching and learning strategies are evidence based.    Most can manage their classrooms effectively. All of this gives students’ hinengaro a strong basis We have a kaumatua at school, and staff members with standing in the Mormon and Ratana churches, so along with our counsellors have the basics to care for students’ wairua. Food and sport activities are provided to care for tinana.  Whanau are welcomed and respected.

Our communications  and our special celebrations ensure our whanau are informed and welcomed into school.  Our komiti Maori includes parents and whanau, kuia and kaumatua and gives them a place to korero,  to share their opinions and discuss and make plans with staff.  Staff are welcome to attend takiwa meetings, so the involvement is reciprocal.  All of this helps strengthen our students’ cultural identity.

Now what?

As a school our next step is to consolidate the progress we have made.  Not all staff are comfortable with karakia mutunga in their classrooms, or with attending hui at a marae. Our students have made racist comments about other students, and staff from different ethnic backgrounds, so we have work to do there.  And finally, we need to move towards challenging colonialism in teaching programmes..


 15 Culturally-Responsive Teaching Strategies and Examples + Downloadable List
https://www.prodigygame.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Culturally-Responsive-Teaching-Strategies-and-Examples.pdf

Education for Māori: Relationships between schools and whānau  https://www.oag.govt.nz/2015/education-for-maori/docs/education-for-maori.pdf

Heaton,S (2015) Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems Mai Journal 4 (2)
http://www.journal.mai.ac.nz/sites/default/files/MAIJrnl_2015_V4_iss2_Heaton.pdf

Savage,C, Hindle, R., Meyer,L., Hyndsa,A., Penetito, W. & Sleeter, C.(2011) Culturally responsive pedagogies in the classroom: indigenous student experiences across the curriculum .Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 39(3), 183–198 https://culturally-responsive-pedagogies-in-the-classroom-indigenous-student-experiences-across-the-curriculum%20(1).pdf

Unesco http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/priority-areas/links/related-information/what-is-local-and-indigenous-knowledge/