Maori Education: The Politics of Reconciliation and Citizenship

• In Event: The Citizenship Education Dilemma: Implications for Civic Education Reform in Multicultural Nations

Abstract

This paper focuses on the Maori of New Zealand and their quest for full inclusion and citizen rights. An important aim of the Maori people is to decolonize their linguistic, cultural, and epistemological systems. However, the question that arises is how best to facilitate this process. The paper will illustrate why the politics of reconciliation— by requiring dominant groups to recognize and apologize for the colonial past of historically oppressed groups—is viewed as necessary to construct a political partnership that fosters a new meaning of citizenship.
The author uses Bashir’s (2008) conceptualization of reconciliation. In this framework, historically oppressed groups present unique challenges to democratic nation-states because of their distinct histories of oppression and colonization. For Bashir, reconciliation entails three principles: (1) Oppressed groups must be able to express their story of exclusion in contradistinction to the perspectives of the dominant group; (2) dominant groups must acknowledge the historical injustices towards oppressed groups; and (3) dominant groups must take responsibility and apologize for the historical injustice towards these groups. Reconciliation voices publicly the historical and contemporary experiences of the oppression of these groups and focuses on the link between “past wrongs and the present political and social inequalities” (Bashir, 2008, p. 59). Bashir’s argument suggests that these principles must be fulfilled before any deliberation between groups can be facilitated.
Indigenous peoples across the globe share similar educational histories as a result of Western European colonization and expansionism. Historically, democratic societies attempted to assimilate indigenous groups into the broader national identity by eradicating their cultural, linguistic, and epistemological systems. Several nations have sought reconciliation with indigenous groups and have apologized for the colonial history of residential boarding and mission schools. Penetito (2009) describes the current relationship between the Maori and Pakeha (European New Zealanders) as “an emerging new consensus” that is poised for a sustainable political partnership (p. 397). This paper explores the colonial history of Maori education and discusses why the kaupapa Maori education movement seeks to revitalize Maori language, culture, and epistemology, and attain to attain full citizenship rights for the Maori.
The paper concludes by examining Penetito’s (2009) description of the changing mood in New Zealand and how the politics of reconciliation deepens the political discourse between Maori and Pakeha. This analysis suggests that a new meaning of citizenship is emerging in New Zealand because the voices of the Maori are being recognized by the Pakeha and historical injustices are being acknowledged through the reconciliation process.

Author

• John P. Hopkins, University of Washington - Seattle