Turangawaewae: Retaining Tino Rangatiranga in the Academy

Abstract

Maori academics struggle to retain Turangawaewae, a place to belong, and Tino Ran-gatiratanga, self-determination, in academic institutions. Retaining Turangawaewaecan be a lonely journey and struggling to keep one's Tino Rangatiratanga and authen­ticity as a Maori academic, and gaining acceptance by non-colleagues for being an ex­pert in a discipline, requires academic and personal strength. This battle takes place atan interface where Maori knowledge and Western knowledge intersect as a result ofWestern systems influencing Maori academics to modify their views of the world thatimpact on teaching practices. When this battle is examined, an imbalance of controlbetween Maori and non-Maori is exposed regarding whose knowledge is valued andwhose authority is privileged. Such a struggle for control spills over to academic pro­grams and leads to debates over authenticity and acceptance. This struggle is empha­sized in colleges or schools where the programs delivered demand a high input of Maoriand their knowledge, but where their staff members are largely a population of non-Maori and non-lndigenous academics. The struggle is elevated when Maori academicsdebate amongst themselves over self-determination and authenticity. The Treaty ofWaitangi can ease these conflicts when authentic partnerships between parties areagreed upon. This position paper identifies some of these battles and offers discussionsabout ways the academy can implement cultural knowledge in future plans. It ad­dresses the question: How can a sense of belonging in the academy occur without giv­ing up one's Indigenous knowledge and identity? It provides answers within thediscussions around governance and an Indigenous curriculum, to talk about Indige­nous cultural determination as a way for establishing a place to stand.