Te Atiawa Histories Ofplace in Port Nicholson Block Secondary Schools and the Possible Application Ofplace-Based Education Models
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Place, Power aI!.d Pedagogy: A critical analysis of the status ofTe Atiawa histories ofplace in Port Nicholson Block secondary schools and the possible application ofplace-based education models Richard Francis Manning A thesis submitted in fulfilment ofthe requirements ofthe degree ofDoctor ofPhilosophy in Education, Victoria University ofWellington. November 2008. 1 This thesis is the original work, under the sole authorship, of Richard Francis Manning Richard Francis Manning (November 2008) 2 Acknowledgements My parents and extended family must, firstly, be thanked for enabling me to have so many rich life-experiences. I am also indebted to my many teachers, classmates, friends and colleagues who taught me so much during my formative years in Porirua East. I particularly wish to acknowledge the following lecturers at Victoria University of Wellington (1985-88, 1995-98) who taught me to think critically about the place I lived in: Professor James Belich, Peter Adds, Professor Hirini Moko Mead, Dr.Bernie Kershaw, Dr. Kathy Irwin, Professor.Wally Penetito, Turoa Royal, Dr. Ana Koloto, Dr. Joanna Kidman, Dr. John Barrington, Marie McCarthy, Dr.Barbara Craig and Dr. Evedina Fuli. Likewise, I wish to thank my former colleagues at Wellington College ofEducation, epsecially Dr. Diane Mara, Lisa-Jane Rogers, Teremoana Maua-Hodges, Nila Lemihio, Pip Smith and Mark Sheehan (with whom I exchanged information and ideas about the state ofhistory education in New Zealand secondary schools as we conducted our respective doctoral studies). I must also acknowledge the staffofthe following libraries, government agencies, archives, schools and institutes who supported this research - Alexander Turnbull Library (in the National Library ofNew Zealand), Archives New Zealand, Hutt City Library, Land Information New Zealand, National Library ofNew Zealand, the participating Port Nicholson Block secondary schools, Treaty ofWaitangi Information Programme (State Services Commission), Treaty ofWaitangi Research Unit (Stout Reserch Centre for New Zealand Studies, Victoria University ofWellington), Waitangi Tribunal, Wellington City Council, Wellington City Archives, Wellington Regional Council and the Wellington Tenths Trust. Likewise, I wish to thank my supportive colleagues at the University of Canterbury, particularly Lynne Harata Te Aika, Associate Professor Janinka Greenwood, Dr Jane Robertson, Ariana Tikao, Carolyn Sydall, Verity Tamepo and Bonny King. Similarly, I wish to acknowledge the following people, in Alaska, for enabling me to visit their shores to learn more about place based education: Professor Ray Barnhardt University ofAlaska (Fairbanks), Mr Andrew Hope III - Southeast Alaska Tribal College (Juneau, Alaska), Dr. Rosita Worl and Ms Kathy Miller - Sealaska Heritage Institute (Juneau, Alaska), Dr. Richard Dauenhauer - University ofAlaska (Juneau). I also wish to thank the following organisations for awarding grants/scholarships that have supported this research and this researcher's family- Foundation for Research Science and Technology, Victoria University ofWellington, James MacIntosh Trust and the Swafford Family Trust. 3 Likewise, I wish to thank the staffofthe Victoria University ofWellington Scholarships Office and Sheila Law (Victoria University ofWellington College ofEducation) for their assistance. I must also acknowledge Ms Maureen West for being so meticulous when editing my applications for these scholarships (and for all the other invaluable advice she has offered during this research).To my supervisors, Professor Wally Penetito and Professor Richard Hill, lowe a special debt ofgratitude. There were times when I doubted that I would ever complete this research (the pressures ofsupporting a young family and paying a mortgage should never be underestimated by those parents about to embark on a PhD journey). I especially wish to thank Wally for enabling me to develop links with Alaska and for sharing his wonderful sense ofhumour, time and wise counsel. Likewise, I wish to thank Wally's wife, Sheena, for opening her home to me (and my family). I must also thank Richard Hill for his generous spirit, humour and unwavering support. Richard spent many hours talking me through various draft chapters, especially during Wally's academic sabbatical (2007-2008). As a result ofRichard's mentoring, I have enhanced my critical thinking skills and learned much about the craft ofwriting. To my wife, Averill, I can only say 'thank you' for being so patient and for supporting me and our children. Without your prompting and support, I would never have undertaken or completed this research. To my sons - James, Luke and Jonathan, I must say 'thanks' for letting me write during those evenings when you wanted me to play football or take you fishing (now we will have more time for football and fishing). Thanks also to Jim and Judith Darr (my 'in-laws') for providing much-needed childcare and many other forms of assistance during this research. I am fortunate to have such generous 'in-laws.' Lastly, but by no means least, I wish to thank my friends and the research participants (who must remain nameless), the CEO and trustees ofthe Wellington Tenths Trust and the Boards ofTrustees ofthe nine participating schools. I wish to dedicate this research to the memory oftwo inspirational people who have had a profound influence upon fhe design of this research and changed the way I view history and the natural world surrounding us. This research is dedicated to the memory ofMrs Erenora Puketapu Hetet ofthe Hamua/Te Matehou hapii ofTe Atiawa (Waiwhetii, Lower Hutt). Erenora was an amazing teacher, a weaver ofbeautiful artefacts and a weaver ofpeople. This research, similarly, is dedicated to the memory ofMr Andrew ('Andy') John Hope III - author, educator and a tradition bearer ofthe X'aan hit (Red clay house), Kiks adi (Raven moiety & frog crest) and sik'nax adi (Eagle/wolfmoiety & killer whale/brown bear crest); Sitka tribe, Sitka, Alaska. 4 Abstract This research examines the status ofTe Atiawa historical knowledge in Port Nicholson Block secondary schools.! It uses the metaphor oftuna (eels) inhabiting the Waitangi Stream in Central Wellington (now pumped underground) to argue that Te Atiawa histories ofplace need to be resurfaced in local schools, much as the Waitangi Stream has been resurfaced at Waitangi Park. A pre-interview questionnaire enables nine Te Atiawa experts and nine senior history teachers to reflect upon the cultural continuities and discontinuities they experienced when learning about history in familial and secondary school settings. A series ofelite interviews also encourages the participants to discuss the dominance ofPakeha grand narrative accounts ofNew Zealand, local and Maori history. A survey ofunit topics taught in 24 Port Nicholson Block secondary school history and social studies classes, meanwhile, provides a snap-shot oftopics taught in local history and social studies classes in 2005. These survey results are compared with those ofa nation wide survey conducted by the New Zealand History Teachers' Association (2005). Te Atiawa interviewees experienced higher levels ofcultural discontinuity than their teacher counterparts. Though the Te Atiawa interviewees' relatives employed a holistic view ofhistory and frequently used landscapes, flora and fauna to serve as historical texts, their teachers (like the teacher participants' relatives and teachers) were less inclined to do so. The Te Atiawa interviewees, moreover, believed their teachers held stereotypical views ofMaori historical figures and events. Only one teacher shared similar concerns about the stereotyping ofMaori. Some teachers, however, did value familial narratives and particularistic (e.g. local) knowledge. Consequently, these teachers, like their Te Atiawa counterparts, experienced some degree ofcultural discontinuity when Eurocentric forms of universalistic knowledge were accorded greater status than the particularistic knowledge of their families and/or local communities. This research, moreover, indicates that Te Atiawa histories ofplace are still rendered largely invisible in Port Nicholson Block secondary schools' history and social studies classes. Skills associated with GIS mapping and visual, ecological and optimal functional literacy, also appear to be undervalued. Additionally, most ofthe teacher participants know little about the tribes inhabiting the area they work in and their topic preferences I There are variations in the naming ofthis tribal grouping. In addition to Te Atiawa, the names Te Ali Awa and Ngati Awa have also been used to describe the same tribal grouping. I have followed the advice ofthe principal historian ofthe Wellington Tenths Trust and used the name Te Atiawa throughout this research. 5 reflect their feelings ofdisconnectedness. However, the teacher participants are generally supportive ofthe potential development ofa place-based education partnership between the participating schools and local Te Atiawa people. While the Te Atiawa interviewees want meaningful input into the design and delivery 0 f a partnership model, the teachers feel unable to fulfil these wishes. Insufficient professional development opportunities, resource constraints, professional rivalries, student/parental prejudices and timetable constraints are all cited by the teachers as hurdles to be overcome. Consequently, the Te Atiawa interviewees remain alienated from local secondary schools, while the teacher participants feel trapped in an institutional