Asking two teenagers to recite Māori prayers over old skeletons is a lesson in why we need everyone to level-up on cultural awareness, writes Te Kuru o te Marama Dewes.
Two Māori teenagers being asked to perform karakia over old human remains that were “found” in a high school has left me feeling a little less hopeful about the progress of race relations in Aotearoa.
I’ve been told by former students that these kōiwi have been known about for years and nothing has been done about it.
Regardless of the fact that the bones had been donated for scientific purposes, most people will agree that it’s completely inappropriate to ask two students, teenagers, to take up the role of pou tikanga and provide a spiritual cleanse over the bones. That request, although put forward from a place of good intention, shows the massive deficit of cultural awareness that remains within the psyche of non-Māori.
The Ministry of Education has dismissed any responsibility, stating publicly that it isn’t responsible for the resources being used in schools. Its recommendation to other schools was to ask the Māori teacher, which represents the same mindset that led to this request of the two Māori students in the first place.
The ministry also recommended that schools ask local hapū and iwi for guidance in these circumstances and to have more cultural awareness. That’s great, if the schools take that advice on board. I’m compelled to think the ministry could do more to facilitate those relationships and resource local hapū and iwi to take on that extra responsibility.
Deputy minister for education (Māori) Kelvin Davis said he personally has no problem with bones being used in schools for science if they were blessed appropriately before they were donated. Now, making those comments without knowing the history of the bones in question and whether or not they were given the appropriate rites by Māori is irresponsible, in my opinion, and reflects the minister’s own lack of understanding in the area. That’s not entirely his fault. After all, he is not the minister of Tikanga Māori.
Although I would ideally like a more culturally sound response from the MP who has been appointed to preside over Māori education in mainstream schooling, I acknowledge that it’s not his area of expertise and that he, like the teacher in this case, should consult with those who are versed in that knowledge base.
The principal of the school has suggested that the teacher acted with good intentions, although she acknowledges that there was a breach of tikanga. Where her understanding of what a breach in tikanga comes from is unknown, as is the plan to develop that awareness further or what new protocols will be put in place.
To be fair, it’s probably not something anyone was expecting but the fact it is that the dial-a-Māori mindset needs an upgrade. Every week I hear about Māori working within organisations being asked to complete tasks that are beyond their responsibility. Is this the painful process of reaching co-governance across the board? Perhaps. Putting that responsibility solely on Māori is unfair. We need non-Māori to use some initiative and commit to learning some basic principles about our culture.
If a building is on fire, who do we call? Firefighters. They are the people who have been trained to respond and have skills that make them better-equipped to do so. Who do we call when we find bones? In most situations we should call the police. In the case of bones used for scientific purposes, that’s an area that schools will now be carefully evaluating.
It reminds us that there is a need for schools, organisations and other groups to strive to form relationships with tangata whenua in their area, as recommended by the ministry of education. That some schools in this country have no existing relationship with tangata whenua is a concern, and is telling of prevailing colonial attitudes.
We need non-Māori to use some initiative and commit to learning some basic principles about our culture.
After hearing about the incident, in the ever-supportive role that Māori have led in race relations since the arrival of non-Māori, Ngāti Whātua reached out to the school to offer support. It’s never too late to start building those relationships, only good things can come from it.
Over the years there has been an incremental inclusion of Māori protocol in not only ceremonial proceedings of national and local government but also within organisations, schools and community groups.
When the Ventnor ship carrying the human remains of 499 Chinese miners was wrecked off the coast of Hokianga, the bones washed ashore. Those bones were buried by the local Māori, who took it upon themselves to safeguard them until their families arrived. Now, there are strong relationships between that iwi and Chinese in New Zealand, including those who share lineage with the miners.
This is one example of the relationship that Māori have with bones. The word iwi itself means extended kinship group, tribe, nation and often refers to a large group of people descended from a common ancestor and associated with a distinct territory. It also means bone.
The question now is, what next? What will happen next for non-Māori to learn what’s appropriate or not? Are we happy to sit back, without committing ourselves to proactively learning about the ways of Māori, risking potentially traumatic experiences for youth, before we realise what’s OK and what’s not OK?
As we approach Māori language week, which has now grown unofficially into Māori language month, perhaps we need to think about a tikanga Māori Month?
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