Indigenizing the University of Auckland

Abstract

The breaking dawn of White resistance against the inclusion of Maori studies in univer­sities in New Zealand first began in the 1880s. Almost 70 years later, in 1951, Maoristudies were first taught at the University of Auckland when White resistance againstits inclusion in the academy was still very strong. Today, resistance remains but it istempered, to some extent, by support for Maori from a number of White academics. Maoristudies are now taught from a small and marginalized school in the Faculty of Arts, andin similar units in the School of Medicine and Faculty of Education. Individual Maoriacademic staff members hold positions in several other teaching and research units, andthere are six Maori research facilities. However, Maori student enrolments are only halfof what they should be, Maori staff numbers are a third of all staff, and Maori studentcourse and degree completion rates are far less than those of non-Maori students. Thismost unsatisfactory state of affairs is the result of all Maori aspects of the University ofAuckland being subject to White hegemony and, hence, control.In this paper, I provide an overview of what an indigenized University of Aucklandmight look like before considering the history of Maori studies at the university andits current situation, in terms of governance, management, research, and teaching.The effects of ongoing problems of institutional, personal, and internalized racismagainst Maori staff and students are outlined within these areas. While this is a sig­nificant disadvantage for Maori, there are also advantages to teaching and conductingresearch in Maori and/or Indigenous studies in a White institution. I will considerthese briefly before considering some strategies for achieving the indigenization of theUniversity of Auckland.