tuakana-teina and manaakitanga (older-younger, collective responsibility, respect, kindness and care for each other), and appreciating and engaging in toi ataata and kapa haka (Māori visual arts, Māori cultural performance). ● Read and engage in Aotearoa history: Currently schools are teaching our nation’s history as a formal part of their curriculum. This presents ECE teachers with a pedagogical challenge in how we can also teach Aotearoa history in ethical, creative, and accurate ways. Opportunities include – Reading library books and home-made board stories involving historical importance such as early navigations to Aotearoa; early hunting, fishing, cooking and foodstoring methods; the architecture of whare (buildings) and design of waka (canoe); learning about respected leaders, artists and role-models; and exploring Te Tiriti o Waitangi connections to your centre community and place. Use this link for resource information https://www.archives.govt.nz/discover-our-stories/the-treaty-ofwaitangi ● Connect with local people and places: Prioritise place-based education (PBE) to authentically support a sense of belonging and sustainability in your local community. PBE involves nurturing children’s “love of their environment, of the place where they are living, of its social history, of the bio-diversity that exists there, and of the way in which people have responded and continue to respond to the natural and social environments” (Penetito, 2009, p. 16). Opportunities include – Learning about local intergenerational knowledge, narratives and whakapapa relationships; visiting and talking about important natural features such as mountains, rivers, bush, lakes and beaches, leading to ecological consciousness through hands-on physical, emotional and spiritual experiences; visiting marae and local places where tamariki can learn from elders, encouraging intergenerational relationships; inviting visitors to the centre to share their stories; and engaging in community events so that all tamariki and whānau have opportunities to feel connected to the wider community and to each other. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Trish Thomas has a background of teaching in the Aotearoa New Zealand early childhood sector, followed by 20+ years in early childhood teacher education with New Zealand Tertiary College. Trish’s teaching experience and research interests include culturally responsive early childhood education, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, child and family advocacy, and issues around equity and social justice. REFERENCE LIST Orange, C. (2020). The Treaty of Waitangi. Te Tiriti o Waitangi. An illustrated history. Bridget Williams Books. Penetito, W. (2009). Place-based education: Catering for curriculum, culture and community. New Zealand Annual Review of Education, 18, 5-29. Warren, T., Forster, M., & Tawhai, V. (2017). Tangata whenua: Māori, identity and belonging. In T. Cain, E. Kahu & R. Shaw (Eds.), Tūrangawaewae identity & belonging in Aotearoa New Zealand (pp. 53-69). Massey University Press. Wright. M. (2021). Waitangi. A living treaty. Bateman Publishing. September 2022 { 17 }
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