Advice from Māori Experts for Bicultural Early Childhood Education in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

Te Whāriki, the first bicultural early childhood education curriculum in Aotearoa New Zealand, gained national and international attention. While there was widespread acceptance of its bicultural intent, Te Whāriki was not well understood and implemented as a bicultural curriculum. Early childhood education teachers lacked confidence and struggled to integrate te reo me ngā tikanga Māori into their daily practices. This article gives voice to the wisdom of three mature stalwarts of te ao Māori and the unique community-based lens of tangata whenua from five marae across the country. It provides pathways into how te ao Māori can be implemented into daily practices, programmes, and pedagogies of teachers in the early childhood sector. An Indigenous framework was used to explore what needs to happen to have a bicultural early childhood education sector. These included knowing and understanding how whakapapa can be the key to engaging in te ao Māori and mātauranga Māori.