A walk between two worlds - Māori leadership within Kura Auraki

PHOTO: Unsplash

It is no secret that Māori have troubled experiences within our education system, with comments from our peers like ‘you’re smart for a Māori’, or ‘you’re taking the drop out subjects aren’t you.’ These experiences are too normalised within Kura Auraki, which is our term for mainstream schooling.

When Māori are continually placed in this stereotype and bombarded with these kinds of associations and comments it is difficult to find a way beyond it as young Māori begin to internalise these ideas.

In 2024 statistics show that Māori in Kura Kaupapa were more likely to pass NCEA and gain University Entrance than Māori students in mainstream schools. The University rate for kaupapa Māori students was 41% while it was 24% for Māori students in mainstream schools.

Due to these constant issues, there must be a way to push forward for tauira Māori in the mainstream schooling system. Attending mainstream schooling can be like walking between two worlds for rangatahi Māori as they are made to fit into a system that wasn’t made for them while trying to hold onto their identity as tangata Māori.

I sat down with Jacob Taylor, who was a key figure in the creation of a bi-cultural Māori leadership structure at the Kura Auraki he attended in Te Whanganui a Tara, Wellington. Jacob commented that “it’s important to have a Māori leadership structure in secondary schools as they are the advocates for Māori students.”

He believes Māori leadership within Kura Auraki should be bi-culturally based to ensure these schools follow a Te Tiriti o Waitangi based structure for the wellbeing of both Māori and non-Māori students as well as recognising Māori students’ status as Tangata Whenua.

The kinds of outcomes these structures in Kura Auraki propose include creating a Māori student seat on the school’s Board of Trustees, having a Māori student on the judging panel of hiring the Tumuaki and Te Reo Māori and Māori performing arts teachers and as Jacob explained “frequently asking students how they could improve” to aid tauira Māori.

Through these kinds of bi-cultural structures, Māori can thrive as they know they are accounted for and believed in.

When the principles of these structures are applied in schools, they foster successful outcomes which are more inclusive, equitable and culturally responsive. Although Jacob realises there is much still to be done in the improvement of these structures, he has seen the positive outcomes firsthand and knows the potential they can have. Taylor commented that through the implementation of a bi cultural structure in mainstream schooling the school felt more ‘inclusive, safe and enjoyable.’

Hapaitia te ara tika pumau ai te rangatiratanga mo nga uri whakatipu.

Foster the pathway of knowledge to strength, independence and growth for future generations.