“Whiriwhiria, kia ora ai te tamaiti”: an exploration of mātauranga Māori to support day-to-day learning in five primary schools in regional New Zealand

This study explores how a purposively selected sample of mainstream primary schools in regional New Zealand incorporate mātauranga Māori (traditional Māori (Indigenous people of New Zealand) knowledge) into school life to support successful learning. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with five principals of low advantage schools with high Māori student populations identified six themes focused on creating a curriculum built around Te Ao Māori (Māori worldview). They were mainstream curriculum not fit for purpose for Māori learners, blending of mātauranga Māori and western knowledge, mātauranga Māori as learning and educational experiences, mātauranga ā-iwi (local Māori knowledge) and achievement fit for tamariki (children). Mātauranga Māori is incorporated into these schools’ environment to support learning, but the mainstream curriculum can be a challenge for schools wishing to promote Māori ways of being. Some schools, however, supported a He Awa Whiria (braided rivers) approach to education, the interweaving of both western practices and mātauranga Māori.