Reflections on Mātauranga Māori
Craig Shearer (April 18, 2022)
It would be hard to miss that there has been some controversy in the science community in Aotearoa/New Zealand around the role of Mātauranga Māori (translated as Māori knowledge) in the school curricula.
Last year, seven academics from the University of Auckland wrote a letter to the Listener, titled “In Defence of Science”. You can read about the controversy on Wikipedia.
Recently Rebecca Watson - well known for her work on the SkepChick site, and as a former host of the Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast - produced a couple of videos which provide an excellent nuanced discussion around Mātauranga Māori.
There are two videos: Part 1 and Part 2.
If you're not into watching YouTube videos, the transcripts are available for Part 1 and Part 2.
I believe the videos should be required viewing (or reading) before weighing in on the discussion. I think that Rebecca makes some excellent points. The NZ Skeptics Society is a science promotion organisation, and we want people to be engaged in science and critical thinking. Narrow viewpoints on the nature of science may have the effect of driving people away.
From Rebecca's second video:
“Time and time again research shows us that people feel more engaged in an activity, more interested in learning, and more inspired to pursue a career when they can see themselves represented in those things. Brave outliers forge the first path, and then it gets easier and easier for even marginalized people to think “oh, yeah, I can do that!” So imagine you're a Māori teen. If the only way you see your culture represented is in art or dance, you're more likely to think that that's where you belong, and conversely that you do NOT belong in science and technology.”
I think this is the point exactly!
Some of our correspondents have objected to Mātauranga Māori on the basis that it will invite teaching Māori creation myths as fact in the science classroom. We see no evidence of that happening, and, for the record, would be vehemently against it should that come to pass.
