FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Words by Taranaki Sam Te Moananui (he/him; Ngāti Maruwharanui)
“If you keep skipping school, you’ll end up being a burden for our people and this society.”
Te kōrero o tōku māmā has been rooted in my head since I was a lil kid. To be honest, school was never my number one priority. I always thought I would just drop out halfway through high school or before finishing, find a full time job in hospo or retail, and just let the flow of life lead me on my journey. I never once thought about what I wanted to do. I suppose, after uni, the efforts of passing school and getting a degree will pay off, but as I said, I never really saw myself putting any effort into my education.
On the other hand, I wouldn’t want tōku māmā to be upset over me not following the path she’s drawn for me. But c’mon, leaving my education behind can’t be that bad can it? That’s what I assumed. I’ve come to realise my whānau isn’t the only one: there are so many Māori families where parents place a strong emphasis on education because they understand that it is important for their children's future success. And as we’ve all known, historically, Māori have faced significant social, political, and economic challenges which have contributed to disparities in health, education, and other areas. Education can help to address these disparities by providing our people with the knowledge and skills they need in life. Education is seen as a key to unlocking opportunities and breaking the cycle of poverty that has affected many Māori communities.
Māori culture places a high value on knowledge and learning, which is reflected in the traditional Māori proverb: "He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata" which translates to "What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people". Education is seen as a means of empowering and uplifting our communities. It is often viewed as a way of preserving and promoting Māori culture and language, and appreciation of our culture and history among tauiwi, which in turn helps to reduce prejudice and discrimination.
But not many rangatahi understand the importance of education in our community. I myself never realised why my mum has always been so hard on me when it comes to studying until now. She doesn’t want me to end up having a bad life like many others in the family. She’s always wanted me to have a decent life with a set of skills that could help me through my long journey. I am proud when I see other Māori establish lives and careers because they’re breaking the negative norms that now stick to us through many generations of being suppressed. I didn’t know how lucky I am to be born in this generation when there are more and more opportunities for Māori in education each day.
Us Māori should definitely take these chances and put in the effort to study something we‘re passionate about, to show others what our people are capable of as different individuals and as a big community. And getting a degree isn’t that much of a pain after all—almost four years of attending uni has flown by. I can finally say that I’m proud of the efforts I put in and what I’ve achieved so far, no matter how little I thought I could do when it comes to education.