University of Auckland professor relinquishes role after claiming mātauranga Māori is 'not science'

Wednesday, 28 July 2021

A University of Auckland professor has resigned from one of his roles following a backlash to a letter he signed publicly dismissing mātauranga Māori.

Professor of Psychology Douglas Elliffe has stepped down from his role as acting dean of the faculty, a University of Auckland spokeswoman confirmed on Wednesday.

Elliffe was one of seven professors from the University of Auckland to sign the letter, which was published last week in The Listener.

**READ MORE:

* University of Auckland embraces new Māori name

* How a Witi Ihimaera story inspired me to go to university

* Māori academics are 'lonely, isolated, and struggling to be heard'

**

The letter had been in response to a NCEA working group's proposed changes to the Māori school curriculum, which would ensure equality for mātauranga Māori with other bodies of knowledge.

Kendall Clements, Garth Cooper, Michael Corballis, Elizabeth Rata, Emeritus Professor Robert Nola, and Emeritus Professor John Werry also signed the letter.

The seven had mainly disagreed with the detailing of a new course, which was described as promoting “discussion and analysis of the ways in which science has been used to support the dominance of eurocentric views (including its use as a rationale for colonisation of Māori and the suppression of Māori knowledge); and the notion that science is a Western European invention and itself evidence of European dominance over Māori and other indigenous peoples”.

The letter, published by The Listener, said that although indigenous knowledge may play some role in the preservation of local practices and in management and policy, it “falls far short of what we can define as science itself”.

The authors claimed that shedding light on mātauranga Māori would spread “disturbing understandings of science” and lead to mistrust in science.

Following the publishing of The Listener piece, the University of Auckland vice-chancellor Dawn Freshwater issued an email to staff describing how the letter “has caused considerable hurt and dismay among our staff, students and alumni”.

“While the academics are free to express their views, I want to make it clear that they do not represent the views of the University of Auckland,” the email said.

Freshwater was among many others who were quick to disagree with the nature of the letter.

Several other academics, including Shaun Hendy, Siouxsie Wiles, Andrew Sporle and Tara McAllister, published an open response to the letter, stating they categorically disagreed with the views.

The news comes after the University of Auckland announced a change to its Māori name, in the name of “building respect” for Māori knowledge.

The education facility changed its name from Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau, a more literal translation of its English name, to Waipapa Taumata Rau,​ earlier on this week.

The change was made in light of a new strategic direction, one that aims to “build respect for Māori knowledge” and challenge the public to understand the deep roots of Māori history and culture.

The university celebrated the name change on Monday morning with a karakia and a plaque unveiling at Waipapa marae.

Elliffe has declined to comment.