Te ao kori as expressive movement in Aotearoa New Zealand physical education teacher education (PETE): A narrative account

Abstract

A unique aspect of Aotearoa/New Zealand physical education is the inclusion of Maori culture in the form of te ao kori. Te ao kori translates to mean the world of movement and is represented by the interpretation of indigenous movement, games and pastimes. Participation in te ao kori means the sports-based normative frame of reference for physical education is removed. What constitutes physical education is challenged by a movement discourse firmly grounded in Maori culture. In this paper I include historical detail about te ao kori and reflect on a ‘snapshot story’ drawn from my autoethnographic research about teaching te ao kori to physical education teacher education (PETE) students. The story is derived from eleven years of field experiences with PETE students in a gymnasium setting and is focused on te ao kori as expressive movement and dance. The story stands as an example of practical theorising important for pedagogy because it is the experiential case material on which pedagogic reflection is possible.