Manakitia a Papatuanuku: Eco-literate pedagogy and music education

Abstract

As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, the much-heralded threat of climate change has become a reality whose effects we not only read and hear about daily but also experience in a raft of seen and unseen ways in our local communities. Morton (2012) called unequivocally for a broader vision of music education that includes and embraces a cross-curricular emphasis on ecological and social justice. In particular, she challenges music education (and the arts in general) to participate in the provision of eco-aesthetic experiences and activities, which foster participation in and reflection upon human inter-dependency. In this article, I will reflect on my experience as a music teacher in a West Auckland enviroschool and the lessons I learned from the children that influenced and supported the development of music-making activities connected with their environmental concerns. Then, taking into account the work of relevant contemporary musicians/composers and music educators, I will offer some suggestions for eco-literate pedagogical practices (Shevock, 2018) for music teachers in 21st century Aotearoa New Zealand.