The Impact Of Native Schools And Education On Māori Society

The Impact of Native Schools and Education on Māori Society

Under the traditional practices of Māori education, the process of learning through oral tradition from a young age into adulthood was taught from the wisdom and teachings of the kaumātua (adult, elder) within the whānau (extended family, family group). Within these traditions, education was viewed as a continuation of rituals and practices within the hapū (clan, tribe) and the iwi (extended kinship group, ancestor). This informal educational system taught Māori children to understand and respect the history of their iwi through concepts such as tapu (religious restrictions, prohibitions) and whakapapa (genealogy) (Calman 2013). During the time of colonization, the concept of cultural

Following the transition from an accustomed Māori society to a Eurocentric based society, the core of traditional te reo Māori language and traditional cultural identity have been diminished across generations since colonization. The impacts of colonization and the introduction of Western formal education forced Māori to assimilate from their perceived “uncivilized” culture toward a “more civilized” and “better” Europeanized culture. The ideals instilled upon Māori under European influence has left a lasting impact on Māori in the way they are viewed in society; educationally, socio-economically and culturally. Although there were initiatives to reintegrate traditional Māori values back into the educational system, the way these Māori customs are presented still reflect a westernized world view. For Māori society, the impacts of Native Schools on Māori education reflect the concept of cultural hegemony, where as a Europeanized society remained dominant. Essentially, through acts of colonization and the influence of Eurocentricity, the notion of superiority in access to knowledge, educational skill level, and socio-economic status, evidently undermined core values, practices and culture of Māori