Learning and impact – Perspective from Kaa Williams
I roto i tēnei kaupapa ko te aronga tuatahi ko tō whakapono ki ngā āhuatanga akoako o tō Māoritanga. Kei roto i tēnei āhua e tau ai tō wairua, e tau ai to mana, e tau ai tō mauri.
Kua tae koe ki tētahi panekiretanga o ngā mātauranga kaiwhakaako o te taha Pākeha, nā, ko tō mahi nui ko te whakamoe i ngā taha e rua kia haere ngātahi hai whakaako i ngā tamariki. Hei tauira ake, me whakanui i te tangate ahakoa ko wai. Mehemea ka tāea, he pai ake te kōrero, te wānanga, te whakawhitiwhiti whakaaro, te whakaako, kanohi ki te kanohi.
Kia pono tonu o kōrero ahakoa ko wai te kaiwhakarongo, ko nga hoa mahi, ko ngā akonga rānei. Tohatohangia o mōhiotanga, ō whēako, me te huaki i tō waiaro kia tū pakari ai te katoa. He ngaiotanga kei roto i ngā taha e rua, whakatauhia kia ikeike.
Whakauruhia te wairua pārekareka, te ngahau, te hihiri ki te ako, me te ngākau nui ki te mahi kaiwhakaako kia āhei ai te kī:
“Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro o te ngāhere, nōna te ao Māori, te mātauranga Māori, te whakaaro Māori. Ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nona te ao Pakeha.”
Ka tuhonohia ēnei ao e rua tērā ka puta he tangata pakari, ngaiō, whaimana tonu.
In this case, the first acknowledgment would be one’s affirmation of the various teachings arising from one’s Māoritanga. It is this belief that will give clarity to Māori spirituality, authority, and control and to one’s inner strength.
You have reached a pinnacle of teaching knowledge in the Pākehā world, and the important thing now is to marry the two perspectives so that they move forward as one in order to teach our children. As an example, one acknowledges people, whoever they might be. If possible, it is better to talk, to meet, to discuss ideas, to teach – face to face.
Your talk has to be genuine to all who listen to you – your colleagues or students. Share your knowledge and experience to show your character and in order to help everyone to stand strong. There is professionalism on both sides. Nurture it to its loftiest heights.
Imbue feelings of enjoyment and pleasure, the desire to learn, and a strong inclination to be a teacher, so that one is able to say:
“The bird that eats the miro berry in the bush will have the world of the Māori, Māori knowledge, and Māori thinking. The bird that eats (learns) knowledge will have the world of the Pākehā.”
If these two worlds are joined together, it is possible for a strong, professional person of power and authority to be produced.
