The status of Te Ātiawa histories of place in Port Nicholson Block (Wellington, Hutt Valley) secondary schools: Some research findings

Abstract

this article outlines the research methodology and some key findings from my doctoral research project (Manning, 2008), which examined the status of te Ätiawa histories of place in Port Nicholson Block secondary schools' history classes. it describes the research participants' experiences of cultural continuity and discontinuity experienced in familial and secondary school settings when learning about the past. it also describes the participants' history topic preferences, and their perceptions of the benefits and barriers in relation to a potential placebased education partnership between local te Ätiawa people and the participating schools. two metaphors are developed to help conclude this article. i conclude that New Zealand history teachers often deliver an enacted curriculum, contradicting the objectives of the official New Zealand curriculum and the principles of the treaty of Waitangi.

Place-Consciousness and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Model: A Discussion of Recurring Issues that Undermine the Teaching of Indigenous Histories in New Zealand and Australian Schools

“…They saw little relevance between the passive learning of textbook-driven lessons to their own lived experiences. The research of Harrison and Greenfield (2011, p. 74) drew similar conclusions to those of Clark (2008) and Manning (2009); especially when they observed that: Aboriginal knowledge is told and relived in that [Indigenous] community [i.e. exosystem ] and hence learning is local, it is produced in context and place.…”

“…The lesson observed by this writer mirrored problems found by researchers in the United States and Australia. Like Manning's New Zealand research (Manning, 2009); Clark (2008) found that many Australian teachers felt uncomfortable dealing with Indigenous subject matter. They, like the New Zealand teachers interviewed by Manning; were struggling to motivate students to engage with Indigenous histories taught via repetitive textbook-driven lessons.…”

“…The ecological systems model is also limited in that it is not consistent with traditional Indigenous epistemologies, which do not separate humanity from the natural world or spiritual domains (Cajete, 2003; Manning, 2009; Hokari, 2011; Sommerville & Perkins, 2011). However, it still provides a tool used strategically by Indigenous academics.…”

“…Although the ecological systems model was a revolutionary development in the evolution of western psychology, it was anthropocentric in scope (Manning, 2009) and not without its Indigenous critics. Notably, MacFarlane (2000, pp.…”

“…This article draws upon Van Maanen's (1988) advice by providing a ‘tale from the field’ to help teachers of history and social studies in New Zealand and Australia reflect upon their own perceptions of place and Indigenous histories. This tale draws upon this writer's observations of a Year 10 social studies lesson (2002), which prompted the identification of the research problem central to this writer's doctoral research that also explored the potential of place conscious pedagogies (Manning, 2009).…”