Linking the idea of ‘innovation’ with mātauranga was also deliberate. Thanks to years of erosion by Western influence, we have been encouraged to think of mātauranga as both limited and limiting. The very fact that you have chosen to come to this conference, of course, is a strong indication that you do not accept that characterisation of mātauranga – that you are already well aware of the power in our truth. However, we are keen to stretch our thinking on the limitless potential of mātauranga. Being free to let our imaginations soar is crucial to our future well-being. We want to provide an opportunity for like-minded people to delight in exploring the possibilities that mātauranga holds for us. This leads me to a final few observations about the thinking behind the Kei Tua o te Pae conferences. Many of us do not have the luxury of working or living in an environment where everyone is committed to a common goal of reinstating mātauranga as the driving force in our lives. Many of us are forced to work and live in places that, deliberately or otherwise, are quite hostile to mātauranga. As a consequence, enormous amounts of our time and energy are spent explaining mātauranga, justifying tikanga or defending kaupapa. If we are lucky enough to have a few Māori colleagues around us, the importance of presenting a united front in an adverse environment may mean that we rarely get the opportunity to debate these issues amongst ourselves.
is not constantly being tested and expanded to meet our ever-changing needs is an intellectual tradition that is doomed to wither into obsolescence. So, during the next two days, we hope that the speakers will spark your imaginations. We hope you take advantage of the workshops to engage in the kinds of conversations that you may not find anywhere else. We hope you leave here with answers but with even more questions. We hope that you will be challenged, frustrated, fascinated and enlightened. Most of all, we hope you find the experience to be useful and rewarding. Nō reira rau rangatira mā, he rukunga whakaaro kei te haere. Kia manawanui tātou.
One of the goals of Kei Tua o te Pae is to provide a forum where we do not have to worry about explaining ourselves to others. We will not be expected to provide ‘the’ Māori response to every issue. There will be no compulsion to present a united front, no matter what. This is a space where we should feel free to admit that we may not know everything, or that we have doubts about the way that certain aspects of mātauranga are being expressed, or that we hold a view that differs from the Māori person sitting next to us. This is designed to be a safe space, a forum where we can ask difficult questions, where we can test theories, where we can risk getting things wrong in the quest to deepen our understanding of the mātauranga continuum. After all, this intellectual tradition is ours. We need not fear it. We need not pretend that we know everything there is to know about it. But we do have to pay attention to it. We cannot afford to be complacent about it. An intellectual tradition that
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