Accounts of early schools in Wellington and free public libraries from the 1840s show that British settlers were also eager for education. Governor George Grey's 1847 Education Ordinance began government funding for education. The very mixed standard of provincial schooling from 1852 was replaced by the nation-wide system of the 1877 Education Act. Comparisons with other 19th century nations show how advanced New Zealand education was despite all the obstacles in establishing a national system in an undeveloped land.
The episode touches on the acceptance and extent of Māori-European intermarriage. Children mixed together at school – from a young age, across the country, and from the 1840s. It wasn't only a new nation that was being created. A new people for that nation was also forming. Education would provide the new culture for the new people. New Zealand's Coat of Arms depicting a European woman, Zealandia, and a Māori man is the symbol of unity for this nation-building era.
Professor Elizabeth Rata is a sociologist of education in the School of Critical Studies, Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland where she is Director of the Knowledge in Education Research Unit (KERU).
The episode touches on the acceptance and extent of Māori-European intermarriage. Children mixed together at school – from a young age, across the country, and from the 1840s. It wasn't only a new nation that was being created. A new people for that nation was also forming. Education would provide the new culture for the new people. New Zealand's Coat of Arms depicting a European woman, Zealandia, and a Māori man is the symbol of unity for this nation-building era.
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Professor Elizabeth Rata is a sociologist of education in the School of Critical Studies, Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland where she is Director of the Knowledge in Education Research Unit (KERU).
5 comments:
Dr Rata's talks are very illuminating and interesting. This one makes me wonder if, in the past, when there were so many maori newspapers and interest in the language, why is there so much griping today that it is being ignored?. It must surely be maoris at fault? The obvious reason for English to be pre-eminent is its utility. All the great literature and non-fiction writing is in English originally or has been translated into English. Maori has not the vocabulary to offer the same ability unless it is turned into some weird artificial lingo like pidgin-English, and try reading Jane Austen in that form! It is retrograde and reactionary for activist maoris and their fellow travellers to push for the survival of maori language when they, and their forebears have done nothing towards that end. Keep maori on the marae; it has no useful part to play in communication elsewhere.
A rung on the public servant promotion ladder.
This series needs to be on Maori TV and oft repeated.
There is so much positivity in these historical episodes . Such a contrast to Marxist . aggression and promotion of victimization all the time in their cancel culture attitude .These episodes also elevate Maori in their enthusiasm for western education which they obviously saw as beneficial. Who really can believe they preferred their , barbarian past ? Gaynor
I quite agree Allen Heath. My otherwise admirable library labels shelves in 'pidgen' Maori, although i don'r think I have ever seen a Maori borrower - no wonder.
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