Ko Au He Waka, He Waka Ko Au - Kaupapa Waka and Education

HE KRERO TTAKI: INTRODUCTION

Ko au he waka, he waka ko au speaks to the waka in its traditional physical form and to the waka as a vessel for transformation through sharing stories that become a record of oral histories. These accounts contribute to the voices of those who fought to revive and live their culture as part of the renaissance of voyaging waka, of waka ama and all forms of waka. Oral histories become the waka that transports journeys and lived experiences that contribute to change within the education sector and the content that is included in schools and education resources to better reflect the Indigenous nature of Aotearoa. The intended purpose of this book is to contribute to strengthening opportunities to learn about and be introduced to traditional mtauranga Mori in kaupapa waka including waka ama and traditional deep-sea sailing waka hourua. This work contributes to the examination of how the State education curriculum can include traditional mtauranga Mori using kaupapa waka as a case study.

This book celebrates the journeys of kaupapa waka and highlights stories of those involved in the renaissance of kaupapa waka in Aotearoa. Kaupapa waka includes many forms of Indigenous waka from deep-sea going waka hourua (voyaging canoes) to waka ama (outrigger canoes) to waka taua (war canoes), waka tt (mono-hull canoes), kpapa (river and estuary canoes) and all forms of traditional waka. These oral stories are accounts that contribute to the history of Aotearoa to help broaden understandings of Mori worldviews and the natural environment, science. The book has been crafted from a Masters thesis I completed at the University of Canterbury in 2021.

The heart of this book showcases six key waka practitioners and their thoughts and experiences within the New Zealand school system. I share my own story and how I came to know those who contributed their stories to this book. Piripi Evans, Manihera Forbes and Jack Thatcher share their experiences with a range of types of waka but more specifically they speak about their whakaaro as traditional Polynesian navigators. Raipoia Brightwell and Pererika Mahika share their experiences heaviliy entrenched in waka ama as a sport and other forms of waka, leading within their communities to support the growth of waka culture amongst rangatahi and whnau. Doug Huria shares his story on his involvement with various forms of waka and building waka. Threaded within the book is my own story of being involved in various forms of waka including waka ama, waka hourua and my learnings in traditional star navigation as part of an international renaissance movement.

Experiences within Aotearoa's schools and the education sector are shared with a vision to promote more mtauranga Mori, Te Reo Mori and kaupapa Mori topics like kaupapa waka in schools. Reflections highlight what New Zealand school experiences have been like for Mori and what the current status is of the content within schools is. Themes that arise from research participants celebrate cultural values and ways of viewing the world. They provide whakaaro (thoughts) and solutions to problems within the education sector and society at large.

The experience and expertise shared in this book bring life to old and new thoughts that can make a difference in how content within the education sector and schools is shaped today and in the future. It is up to generations now to make a difference and contribute to the transformational changes required to include Indigenous histories, worldviews and understandings within Aotearoa's school curriculum.

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