EDITOrIaL

Liz hawes Editor

gLObaL PaNDEMIcS arE not common. In our history, we Late last year, Mediaworks ran a series of articles on Stuff, have been infected by the Spanish Flu (1918), killing 9,000 New acknowledging and apologising for the part that media plays in Zealanders, the polio epidemic (1920s–1960s), with an estimated contributing to the misrepresentation of Māori. TVNZ’s Māori death rate of 2–10 per cent of those contracting the disease, and Affairs reporter, Yvonne Tahana, described the public apology last year the Novel Coronavirus COVID 19, which continues to as a ‘startling admission that creates a wider conversation on threaten us. race in New Zealand.’

Much has been learned from these events. Whilst the Spanish The series, the culmination of investigations by twenty Stuff flu resulted in the 1920 Health Act, described as a model piece journalists, was titled ‘Our Truth, Tā Mātou Pono: Stuff’s Day of legislation which continues to influence our country’s health system today, the Novel it is about CHANGING of Reckoning’, and confronts the ways Stuff has contributed to divisiveness, racist Coronavirus COVID 19 has sharpened our awareness of societal inequities. ATTITudES which in stereotypes and marginalisation of Māori by reporting through a monocultural lens and NZ Principal (June 2020, v. 35, (2)) covered the coronavirus global pandemic and reported the stories of eleven principals leading a turn the principals take back to their at times, a downright racist lens. A multitude of issues were investigated ‘including child abuse, Parihaka, Moutoa variety of schools from different regions of the country. Without exception, as they own schools to Gardens, the police raids in Te Urewera, the Foreshore and Seabed Act, and more.’ described their home-learning plans for school lockdown, they highlighted inequities. Schools central to low socio-economic areas CREATE A NEw CuLTuRE which The coverage of these issues was found to be ‘blinkered through to racist’ and was ‘neither fair nor balanced in the way Māori had a disproportionate number of young people with limited or no access to internet values Māori were represented.’ Stuff has vowed to do better and has connectivity and devices. They were also the families whose children participated in breakfast and lunch programmes at school. alongside Pākehā cultures. established a new code of practice embedding the intent of the Treaty of Waitangi. It is about regaining the trust of Māori by Top of mind for principals of these schools was reporting fairly for all New Zealanders – and, the health and wellbeing of their families who would be suffering as acknowledged by the Editor, that requires respect for diversity. most. Delivering care packs was just as important as delivering Underachievement of Māori has concerned school principals learning packs for the children. for decades. Racist practices and attitudes also exist in schools.

Māori communities were over-represented in these areas and As long as tamariki Māori feel marginalised and undervalued a year later, we find, despite a remarkable recovery in general, in the school setting, their achievement will suffer. that Māori are suffering disproportionately in the unemployment Principals recognised that another intervention, another statistics, resulting from job losses through COVID. programme to address what was described as ‘Māori deficit’

These inequities for Māori extend beyond education and was pointless and doomed to further failure. What was needed employment and show up in our health and crime statistics too. was a change of hearts and minds – a change to the culture of So stark are the gaps, we can no longer ignore them. schools. The answer lies in recognising and eradicating racism.

At the root of these inequities is racism. Our colonial past A way forward in the form of the Māori Achievement traumatised Māori rendering them powerless, second class citizens Collaborations (MACs) was developed in partnership between and over time systematically stripped Māori of their resources, Te Akatea, the Māori Principals’ Association, the Ministry of culture and language. Despite the Treaty of Waitangi, which was Education and NZPF. The MACs have operated with great about protecting Māori mana and resources in partnership with success for the past eight years. They involve principals taking a the Crown, racism has taken hold and become well embedded. cultural journey. In collaboratively supported groups, they look

Following many Māori uprisings over time – land marches, inwards, to understand and acknowledge their own world view, occupations, protests and hikoi, the roots of racism have hardly share their world view in a facilitated and supported environment loosened. What these actions have done though is given us a and from there, learn to understand, value and accept a different collective awareness of the way in which Māori have been treated world view – that of Māori. It is about changing attitudes which in the past and continue to be treated. in turn the principals take back to their own schools to create

a new culture which values Māori alongside Pākehā cultures.

In this way, tamariki Māori feel school is their place, that their culture matters and has value and they have equality with their Pākehā peers. Once this happens, tamariki Māori are ready and open to learning. Principals who have undertaken this cultural journey all agree it is transformational and that tamariki Māori in their schools have lifted their attendance rates, their engagement with learning and their achievement levels. They recognise that the key to the MACs success is that it truly changes hearts and minds. It truly breaks down racism. Te Akatea administers the MACs and lead coordinator, Hoana Pearson, is to be congratulated for her passion, enthusiasm and drive to break down racism. Finding and training suitable facilitators for this important work is critical to its success and despite limited funding, Hoana has determined to make the MACs hum. She welcomes as many principals as she can possibly accommodate and every month the waiting list grows. Kia ora mo o mahi Rangatira. Kia kaha.

Many MAC principals and others are enthusiastic to expand their knowledge of Te Reo and tikanga Māori. We thank Helen Kinsey-Wightman (p.35 of this issue), for her compilation of some excellent resources, many of them free, to help you all on the way.

We have not welcomed the invasion of the COVID 19 coronavirus and have high hopes that the vaccination, just approved by our medical authorities, will deliver on its promise to eliminate threats to our physical health and jettison the virus from our shores. On the other hand, COVID has highlighted societal inequities and shone a light on the equally destructive virus we call racism. Let’s hope we will now vigorously pursue a racism antidote not just for our public media and schools, but for the health of our entire nation.

Manaakitanga – Whanaungatanga – Kotahitanga A whole school approach to build hauora/resilience in the aftermath of COVID-19.

Equip our Ākonga/learners to co-create an inclusive respectful, safe school climate with minimal teacher invention. Students learn to authentically enact a tuakana-teina philosophy. Ākonga develop skills to solve interpersonal issues/confl icts. This supports a growth in positive mental health and wellbeing of kaiako/teachers, ākonga/learners and whānau/families in the school community. Students with skills in this area can also be recognised and contribute as leaders to their school community. These are evidence based programmes. Research has demonstrated positive results for students and teachers in schools nationwide.

Leadership through Peer Mediation (LtPM)

for Secondary Schools (Years 11 – 13)

Cool Schools Peer Mediation Programme

for Primary Schools (Years 1 – 8)

These programmes are available FREE to schools. Funding provides training & resources, including revisits.

For more information:

The Peace Foundation www.peacefoundation.org.nz christina@peacefoundation.org.nz Ph (09) 373 2379 ThePeaceFoundationNZ

ThePeaceFoundationNZ