Mana Ōrite For Te Ao Haka A Strong Step To Better Serving Māori In Education - NZCER

Giving Te Ao Haka mana ōrite (equal status) within NCEA and The New Zealand Curriculum benefits ākonga, whānau and kaiako Māori, new research from NZCER has found. 

Ngā whai painga o Te Ao Haka is the latest release from Te Wāhanga - NZCER that explores the benefits of the new mātauranga Māori qualification, Te Ao Haka. Te Ao Haka is a subject assessed by achievement standards that count towards NCEA. For ākonga, participation in Te Ao Haka has multiple benefits, it:

• enhances identity, culture and language
• grows skills, dispositions and qualities that support wellbeing, success and achievement in school and in life
• provides learning and skills that are transferable to other subjects
• creates a culture of excellence and high expectations

“Te Ao Haka provides important lessons for the development of future mātauranga Māori qualifications - and for schools that want to incorporate mātauranga Māori into their local curriculum,” notes NZCER’s Nicola Bright (Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Kairangahau Mātua Māori).

This is positive news for the new subject, and an important step forward in providing education experiences that better serve Māori. There are positive changes happening in schools teaching Te Ao Haka, however there is still work to be done to raise the status of Māori performing arts in English-medium schools overall – an issue highlighted in this new research.

Research participants view the establishment of Te Ao Haka as an important step forward in equity for, and recognition of, mātauranga Māori in the education system. A step that can help create a better understanding of Māori, te reo Māori, and tikanga Māori in Aotearoa whānui.

Ngā whai painga o Te Ao Haka: The positive impacts of Te Ao Haka for ākonga, whānau, and kaiako

Produced by Rangahau Mātauranga o Aotearoa for Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa.

Full research available here

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