Hard on the heels of our learning how the Royal Society of New Zealand has been doling out research money from the Marsden Fund, our attention has been drawn to the significance of matauranga Maori (or MM) in the latest election of society companions.
The Marsden cache – funded by taxpayers and administered by the Royal Society – is earmarked for research in science, engineering and maths, social sciences and the humanities. The society says it is regarded as the hallmark of excellence for research in New Zealand.
Kiwiblog’s David Farrar has analysed the grant data published online since 2008, dividing the beneficiaries into these broad categories.
- Science
- Humanities/Social Science
- Maori/Colonialism
- Identity (gender/ethnic/refugee focus etc)
- Policy/Political
“Hard science” is slipping in significance elsewhere in society considerations.
Its website records the recent election of three new “companions” who have been “recognised for decades of leadership and innovation”.
The election of Companion (CRSNZ) recognises outstanding leadership in science, technology, or the humanities; and/ or eminent or sustained contributions to the promotion and advancement in New Zealand of science, technology, or the humanities.
The three new companions are Professor Jacky Bowring, Professor Paora Tapsell and Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr.
Professor Bowring has been recognised for her innovative career and scholarship in landscape architecture.
Professor Tapsell has been recognised for his innovation, commitment, and leadership within far-reaching Māori communities.
Paora has been a consistent advocate for Māori health and wellbeing. He has led and participated in research projects focusing on Indigenous issues, heritage, and community development, particularly within Aotearoa and the Pacific.
His work synthesises social science and Mātauranga research, addressing challenges such as heritage protection, water security, food sovereignty, and the impact of climate change on Indigenous peoples and ecosystems.
Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr has been recognised
… for his outstanding leadership and service in revitalising the mātauranga and legacy of double-hulled ocean-voyaging waka hourua in Aotearoa and throughout Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa.
Hoturoa paddles waka, sails waka, and teaches waka. He is one of the few holders of mātauranga whakatere waka here in Aotearoa New Zealand.
David Farrar’s analysis showed that Marsden Funding grants for “Maori” projects has increased from 3 per cent in 2008 to 8 per cent in 2023.
The latest news from the Royal Society shows the influence of Maori considerations – and matauranga Maori – in evaluating the worthiness of candidates for companionships.
These have become important in government science policy considerations, too.
Jerry Coyne has posted an article which says:
The government of New Zealand continues to throw away money by funding ludicrous projects involved indigenous “ways of knowing” (in this case Mātauranga Māori, or “MM”).
He mentions one government initiative, which acknowledges that MM differs in some ways from modern science, but maintains it remains a “knowledge base”.
More significantly, it insists that the practice must remain under Māori control.
Mātauranga Māori is a knowledge base in its own right. It is Māori knowledge, including values and culture. It is different from modern science. Mātauranga Māori belongs to iwi and should remain under Māori control. Mātauranga Maori is taonga (a treasure) and as such should be protected
But as Coyne ripostes, science is not under the control of any ethnic group,
“… so this is an attempt to not only sacralize indigenous knowledge, but to prevent others from investigating its claims”.
Earlier this year, Coyne noted that New Zealand has a new and more moderate government, in contrast to the Leftist one—mainly under Ardern and Hipkens—that inserted MM into all the schools.
He then said:
“It remains to be seen whether the new Luxon government can stop the colonization of science by MM, and restore New Zealand’s slipping reputation for quality education”.
We can only hope.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog - where this article was sourced.
3 comments:
I resigned my CRSNZ (given for contributions to Parasitology and science communication) a few years back when the 'Listener seven' were slated by the RSNZ. In my resignation letter I regretted the pusillanimity of the society and what I saw as an abrogation of all that it stood for. I have no regrets at my action and the falling standards outlined above serve to reinforce the correctness of my action.
Hear, hear, Dr Heath. A pity more of your colleagues failed to follow suit in highlighting the Society's lack of fortitude in maintaining it's principles - by bowing to the woke and it's embrace of a stone age belief system. History will not look kindly on them, or it.
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So if MM is to stay under the control of Maori, why is it being taught to privileged whitey at universities. Surely the universities are showing colonialist ignorance by doing so.
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