Visions of diversity and citizenship in Aotearoa NZ
te-pati-maori
Mon Jul 18 2011 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Visions of diversity and citizenship in Aotearoa NZ
Monday, 18 July 2011, 5:44 pm
Speech: The Maori Party
Rahui Katene, MP for Te Tai Tonga
Te Wharewaka o Poneke, Monday 18 July 2011
Social Sciences Conference 2011: 'Beyond the 2011 Election - Visions of diversity and citizenship in Aotearoa NZ'
It is a real pleasure to be part of this political panel, to share our passion for active citizenship, as evidenced in the priorities we have advanced, and the aspirations we have ahead of us.
WHAT IS A GOOD CITIZEN?
I come to you with two key principles, driving my response.
• Education is the fulcrum on which the future of Aotearoa turns.
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi provides the foundation for our national identity.
The important thing is how do both of these combine to create education for active citizenship?
How do our systems and structures value justice; build on the realities of our histories; and respect the inheritance, the culture, the identity of both Treaty partners?.
I believe the key lies in understanding that Te Tiriti o Waitangi created a reciprocal relationship between Maori and the Crown; a relationship of mutuality.
Just over two years ago, I put up a private members bill entitled Te Ra o Matariki, Matariki Day Bill.
The Bill was based on the premise that as a maturing and ethnically diverse nation, New Zealand should recognise its indigenous origins through a designated national day to which all sectors of society feel able to connect and celebrate. As an expression of this developing unique identity, the bill acknowledged a significant occurrence within the Māori calendar – the celebration of Matariki, the Māori New Year.
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When it came to the vote however, the Bill was defeated even if only very narrowly, by 59 votes for, and 63 votes against – just four votes in it.
Although I was disappointed, it gave me reason to think how can we discuss our national identity; our basis for active citizenship in Aotearoa, if we don’t have the foundation laid out in front of us?
So I want to speak to you now about two Maori Party Private Member Bills which will do exactly that.
The first the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Treaty of Waitangi Act.
Essentially, this Bill provides for the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Treaty of Waitangi to investigate and inquire into and provide advice, information and analysis on any matter relating to the Treaty of Waitangi. It also establishes an office to advocate and promote respect for the Treaty of Waitangi – not just about a Treaty settlement focus – but about our positive aspirations forward; our constitutional framing for our citizenship.
The second private members bill is to insert an optional pledge to the Treaty of Waitangi (or Te Tiriti o Waitangi), in an effort to update, simplify and modernise oaths and declarations. The need for such a bill was recently highlighted in the last week, with the confusion surrounding Hone Harawira’s request to include the Treaty in his parliamentary Oath.
THE SECOND QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE ROLE OF SCHOOLS IN DEVELOPING GOOD CITIZENS?
I believe that schools have an important responsibility to ensure that Maori will not be marginalized but can be fully engaged in New Zealand citizenship. The challenge is to make the Treaty relationship work – not to make it vanish.
And so we need schools to ensure there is sound education and knowledge about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the history of Aotearoa.
In the Maori Party Policy Manifesto, we talked about the Ratou Policy – which was based on the concept that people who have more knowledge of their history are much more likely to benefit from our increasingly diverse nation.
A key goal of this policy is that primary and secondary schools will be required to teach heritage studies which will include a history of Pasifika language and culture in line with the aspirations of the peoples of Pacific.
And I want to acknowledge with gratitude the expert advice provided to us by people such as Richard Manning, Peter Adds, and Te Pouhere Korero (the Maori Historians' Association).
They have worked with us, consistently, calling for an inquiry into the status of mana whenua / Maori histories in schools, and particularly when there are options for teachers to pick and choose whether they opt for Maori history within their curriculum.
Their concern is that teachers can still side-step Maori contexts, concepts, perspectives by focusing on Pakeha grand narrative accounts of the past such as from historians the calibre of Michael King, James Belich, Keith Sinclair without also ensuring accounts from Maori historians and writers like Dr Ranginui Walker, or indeed the immense wealth of histories recorded now throughout the Treaty settlement process.
We have not won the battle yet, in terms of mainstreaming and maintaining a culturally inclusive curriculum, but my colleague, Dr Pita Sharples, has developed Tataiako, a school-based cultural competency programme. It is a professional development programme to help teachers relate to Maori students; building off some of the rich knowledge acquired through Professor Russell Bishop’s programme, Te Kotahitanga – a programme we have invested further in through the Budget 2011 allocation.
Being a good citizen is very clearly associated in my mind with understanding our basis for nationhood, the promise of Te Tiriti o Waitangi; and acting in ways which will best enhance that constitutional relationship. Cultural competency – whether it be in school classrooms or the debating chamber of Parliament – is a critical part of the progress we need to make, in advancing active, informed and effective citizenship.
ENDS
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