Beyond tuakana teina: exploring Māori vocational pathways

This research challenges common misconceptions that Māori vocational development began only after colonisation by tracing the deep whakapapa of Indigenous trade and vocational training traditions that existed long before colonial systems were introduced.

Beginning with Māori-led knowledge systems such as Te Rawheoro in Te Uawa nui o Ruamatua, extending through the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, and into the Māori Trades Training schemes of the Department of Māori Affairs, the project highlights a longstanding legacy of Māori approaches to skill development, innovation, and intergenerational knowledge transmission.

By examining the whakapapa of the Tāwharau Housing Trust whānau, this research identifies the enduring values, practices, and cultural foundations that have shaped successful Māori vocational pathways across generations. It explores how Tāwharau Housing Trust has drawn on and validated these Indigenous frameworks within contemporary apprenticeship models, demonstrating the continued relevance of te ao Māori approaches in modern vocational education.

The research suggests that vocational training grounded in Māori values, cultural identity, and community-centered practice may offer more meaningful and effective pathways for Māori learners than conventional trade training models alone. In doing so, the project contributes to wider conversations about Indigenous education, workforce development, and the potential for kaupapa Māori-informed vocational systems to reshape future training outcomes for Māori communities.

Activities

Co-presented this research at the ITENZ (Independent Tertiary Education New Zealand) Conference 2024 in Auckland, alongside Jayden Thompson, Director of Tāwharau Housing Trust, highlighting the project’s findings on Māori vocational training whakapapa and kaupapa Māori-informed apprenticeship models.