I had the privilege of attending the recent Piako Cultural Festival where students from local schools celebrate the/their Maori culture through kapahaka. It was a great reminder of how powerful it is for Maori students to celebrate their culture and feel pride for who they are.
As a part of the build up, I was asked to join the boys for their practices for behavioral reasons. What hit home very quickly for me at these practices was the importance to these boys to have me (a male and their teacher) there to support them and most of all value their culture and what they were learning and sharing. To see the boys who are disengaged and feel out of place at times in class, instead thriving, motivated and striving to give it their all was just amazing.
It's not always easy to get outside of your comfort zone and place yourself in someone else's culture as you feel like you will make a mistake, or you don't belong, but this is far from the truth. So, I am reminded of the importance I must place on valuing my Maori students by attending these practices and events and making the effort to really show them that I care and am interested in who they are and their culture by participating as well.
My goal for next year is to learn the haka with the boys.
