Sustainability - Arihia Latham

Arihia Latham has been facilitating Sustainability in Education through the Enviroschools programme in Wellington schools for ten years. She is also a rongoā practitioner (traditional Māori healer) and a writer who is working across all platforms to re-indigenise our community.

The Enviroschools Kaupapa has a commitment to ensuring our schools are supported in strengthening cultural sustainability which is aligned with place-based education, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, local curriculum and history studies.

This workshop will look at how we ensure we are being good treaty partners, how to be culturally safe and why forming relationships with mana whenua is key. We'll look at the Enviroschools programme as a whole and how being community oriented strengthens schools as hubs of inspiration in their community.

Ximena: cultural safety, eg. mihimihi vs pepeha, Pakeha/Tauiwi need to tread carefully, follow the lead of mana whenua, cultural appropriation

John: Love and awe; being in the environment, knowing the place and feeling comfortable in that environment.
The vibration at a really deep level of Health.
Take students to places where they can feel a sense of Mauri, describing, anming Mauri, energy transfer,
Tangata tiaki,
The classroom without walls……..whether inside or out…

Beth, Jess Suz and Annie:
We need to know enough to be able to teach the kids about maori culture and language in a culturally appropriate way. Sensitive to all cultures in the community - relationships with whānau - how individual whānau regard themselves - what would they like us to know about
Wide range of cultures in the class - understanding which parts you can incorporate - works well with home life - everyone can find meaning . Just making sure that we show we are learners too. Genuine shared learning journeys - not the expert in the room.
Approaching in the way we are less likely to make unhelpful assumptions. We are teaching but not our knowledge to share. Lifting up voices - Mana and authority.
Using words in the way they were intended to be used in Māori culture - not appropriating it for school reasons, realising that in certain contexts there are better words that can be used rather than kaitiakitanga at all times such as tangata tiaki
Understanding the concepts behind these words. There is a right way to teach these concepts.
When teaching these concepts or māori culture. Give options and reasons why e.g. different types of mihi, students can approach this in the way that works best for them/is the most appropriate.


Jenny, Nic + Carl:
Cultural appropriation… feeling more nervous about teaching Māori. Felt like it was opposite to what Hana O’Regan was saying - about giving things a go.
Giving things a go - admitting when wrong. Taking an interest in a person and a culture helps to build these things.
Tiaki > kaitiaki - being mindful of the meaning behind the word.