How children are making Matariki normal for Pākehā

Friday, 31 July 2020

People on the streets of Christchurch share what they know - and in some cases, what they don't - about Matariki.

Children are bridging the gap in Pākehā knowledge of Matariki.

The “most profound change” in knowledge of the Māori New Year is within early childhood education, and experts believe this could be a powerful way to normalise it for all.

Matariki – a mid-winter star constellation traditionally celebrated by gathering with whānau, remembering the dead, and celebrating the future – has become a fixture in the school and pre-school calender.

Stuff recently launched a campaign to make Matariki a public holiday in 2021.

There were some blank looks and shoulder shrugs when Stuff asked Pākehā on the street what Matariki means to them, but children were the common factor where there was some understanding.

Seven-year-old Ariana talked excitedly of stars, kites, and “lots of people at the dinner table”.

Her mother, Olga Whyte, who was born and raised in the United Kingdom, said she had learned the importance of Matariki, but not growing up in New Zealand meant it was ‘’a bit more of an existential view of it”.

“It’s great they’re learning about it at school.”

Ariana, 7, schools her British-born mother on what Matariki means.

Early childhood education consultant Viv Shearsby said Matariki offered an opportunity to celebrate identity, history, and heritage, which was important within Te Whāriki curriculum.

Te Whāriki – the Education Ministry’s early childhood education curriculum – promotes teaching that reflects and acknowledges all children’s language, identity and culture.

Early childhood education played an important part in celebrating Māori identity as a nation.

“It’s one part of a very large picture of growing tolerance…Māori are tangata whenua, and we are required to honour the Treaty in education.

Early Childhood Education consultant Viv Shearsby says Kiwis have a responsibility to understand our dual heritage, and important Māori events like Matariki.

“For many Pākehā families, that’s the first time they’ve learned about [Matariki].”

In more than 30 years teaching pre-schoolers, she only had two parents who were “overtly confrontational” about Māori aspects of the curriculum.

“Even if they have uncomfortable feelings or views, most people will engage with it because it’s for their children.

“If you live in New Zealand, you do have a responsibility to know and understand our dual heritage. We work really hard to honour that in early childhood education.”

University of Canterbury School of Māori and Indigenous Studies senior lecturer Garrick Cooper agreed early childhood education was where there had been the “most profound change”.

Normalising it from an early age, rather than making it centre stage through events was almost more powerful, he said.

He had noticed more awareness and visibility of Matariki in the last 5-10 years, alongside a greater uptake and acceptance of Māori things.

While events such as Matariki were symbolic, he worried Māori “get reduced to this caricature of who we are”.

One way to avoid events like Matariki slipping into tokenism is to “just support and stand in the background for a moment”.

In-home early childhood educator Rachel Payne made a table display of the star formation for the four children in her care to learn with.

“There should be deference shown to communities from which these events and celebrations emerge from.”

While Māori want Pākehā to get behind it, it did not mean they were expected to make it instantly important to them.

In-home early childhood educator Rachel Payne has embraced Matariki for the first time this year.

Pebbles Montessori Cashmere assistant manager Bushra Shahabdeen said in her predominantly Pākehā centre, 90 per cent of families attended its Matariki concert.

There was a lot of support, but when she asked parents to raise their hands if they knew the names of the stars, few knew.

“That was surprising. Kids remember it really well.”

Auckland in-home early childhood educator and mother-of-two Rachel Payne has this year embraced Matariki by creating a table display of the stars for the four children in her care to learn from.

It was also a time for creating new learning goals for the children.

“Matariki for me is about educating not only myself but the tamariki I care for about our culture and the traditions our ancestors have celebrated for many years before us.”

Mother-of-two preschoolers Lydia Oliver knows Matariki is about stars and significant to MÄori, but thinks it contradicts her Christian beliefs.

She supported it as a public holiday.

”I think it’s a cool marker in the calender year.”

David Wareing, 72, is not convinced Matariki should become a public holiday.

Christchurch retail counter manager Pip Hendry knew little, but said she would like to see a national campaign, so the whole country could get behind a time important to Māori.

Canterbury University associate professor Michael Grimshaw believes making Matariki a public holiday is important for becoming truly bicultural.

“Making it so it’s just part of everybody’s knowledge.”

Lydia Oliver, who is mum to two pre-schoolers, only knew of Matariki through what her children learned at kindergarten.

“I’m a Christian as well and it’s not something we think about a lot. We think about God creating the stars.

“More public holidays is always a good thing. I’ve never considered something like that becoming a public holiday. Interesting concept, wouldn’t say no.”

David Wareing, 72, said knew nothing about Matariki. While he was not religious, he understood the meaning of other public holidays like Easter and believed they should remain because “they’re set now”.

“I think we’ve probably got enough.”

Canterbury University head of sociology and anthropology Associate Professor Michael Grimshaw supported Matariki as a public holiday, for the country to become truly bicultural.

He believed Matariki was finding a place of importance for Pākekā.

“We can see that in primary schools it already does.

“My 10-year old daughter has to present on Matariki this week in her school and finding kids’ material in the public libraries was difficult because all the books were out.”