He Muka Herenga Tangata - The SAE story (5:50 mins)

We met with some tertiary education organisations (TEOs) to see how they are embedding mātauranga Māori into programmes that are not exclusively mātauranga Māori qualifications.

We've named this project He Muka Herenga Tāngata. This video tells the journey of SAE – Creative Media Institute.

Video transcript

[Screen reads: NZQA Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa has a programme of work that focuses on equity issues, good practice and bringing to life administrative data that will support education system improvement.

As part of this, NZQA has met with some tertiary education organisations (TEOs) to see how they have been able to embed mātauranga Māori into their programmes, which are not exclusively mātauranga Māori qualifications.

We have named this project He Muka Herenga Tāngata. This video tells the journey of SAE – Creative Media Institute.]

[Video shows Dr Suzette Major, Campus Director at SAE. Suzette is sitting in a studio and speaking to the camera]

Suzette: I think the journey around mātauranga Māori for us is a really interesting one, largely because SAE is so global.

If you go into any SAE campus anywhere in the globe, they look really similar and they feel really similar. You definitely know you are in an SAE campus.

Yes, it may look and feel like any SAE campus around the globe, but we are situated in Aotearoa New Zealand. And we need to recognise that and acknowledge that.

It's been a journey to almost unpack ourselves from that global network and say, what is it that we really want to acknowledge here by being in Aotearoa New Zealand?

[Video shows Dr Robert Pouwhare, SAE Academic Board and Cultural Advisor. Robert is sitting in front of some SAE posters and speaks to the camera.]

Robert: I was only brought on because of my experience at that time within television.

I embraced it because I thought this is a great opportunity for Māori and Pasifika to come to such a place like this because this industry, you know, suits our people and suits our kids. And they'd be really excited to be part of a learning experience here.

[Screen reads: How do you start with integrating mātauranga Māori]

Suzette: Helping to ensure our campus is more culturally safe and inviting and welcoming kind of space.

So having Māori artwork on campus, having te reo signage across the campus, Pasifika artwork as well across the campus. That's almost the easy stuff. Important but easy.

[Screen shows Daryl Tapsell, Audio Kaiaka at SAE. Daryl is sitting in front of a mixing board and speaking to the camera.]

Daryl: We've got a culture at SAE of the staff and the students really engaging with each other, and it being okay to try things out.

Part of it, for me, the journey of mātauranga Māori is that creating a safe space to try things, to learn because you learn from everything, the good and the bad experiences.

[Screen shows Suzette]

Suzette: It's really important to me to bring everyone as a group together, and recognising that we can kind of help each other through that process as some have more knowledge than others.

It's about us as a collective kind of figuring out how we want to weave mātauranga Māori in all that we do.

[Screen reads: What are some examples of mātauranga Māori]

Suzette: At the end of the first year in Level 5, the very final course that our Level 5 students will do is called Tirohanga.

And it is an opportunity to reflect back and with this view and perspective of everything that you've learned, develop one final project that you can kind of walk out as your kind of show reel and feel proud of.

[Screen shows Daryl]

Daryl: So, the journey becoming, that sort of tuakana teina model where the students will be teaching me something and I'll be teaching the students something and we'll all walk away, richer from the process, I guess.

[Screen shows Robert]

Robert: Teina tuakana, older cousin, younger cousin, older people, younger people. In a bid to also encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and within their disciplines.

[Screen shows two students sitting in front of SAE posters. Ash Edwards, a Level 7 Music ākonga, and Maia Te Tuhi, a Level 5 Audio ākonga. Ash is speaking to the camera]

Ash: When you sort of get familiar, you know, recognise faces, you know, you can go into the studios and you know supervisors and you know them by name, and, you know, that's just a lot more comforting.

[Screen shows Daryl]

Daryl: Knowing each other, knowing each other's families or your background, where you've come from

and almost creating that whānau feeling. You know, the whānau whānui.

[Screen shows Robert]

We're in the middle of Parnell and the reo is heard here! We’ve created programs that have got Māori and Pasifika content. It's witnessed in the huge retention of Māori and Pasifika students here and the pass rates.

[Screen reads: What are some challenges of mātauranga Māori]

[Screen shows Daryl]

Daryl: Trying to figure out how to integrate a large group of students into this, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga relationship of, you know, especially from very diverse backgrounds.

But I think that's something that you can get to through this idea of especially things like tuakana teina where you are, moving things forward.

And I think, Te Whare Tapa Whā with the sort of ideas of linking, you know, your whānau and spirituality and your, you know, just general care for each other, for your physical health, everything, all tied up into one.

[Screen reads: What are the next steps on the mātauranga Māori journey for SAE]

[Screen shows Daryl]

Daryl: I always think of things like, it would be great to have a higher percentage of people speaking te reo on the staff, as well as the students.

It would be fantastic if we could incorporate things like Te Whare Tapa Whā and embed that into our curriculum.

[Screen shows Suzette]

Suzette: You know, we've taken a few steps down the journey. There are many steps more that we need to take.

[Screen reads: SAE’s journey with mātauranga Māori is continuing and since filming concluded, further actions have included:

  • A Student Support Advisor specifically for Māori and Pacific Learners
  • Dr Robert Pouwhare formally appointed as Manu Taiko
  • Fortnightly Akoako classes for staff to learn te reo Māori and practice waiata
  • Further developed links with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei including regular hui and a jointly offered scholarship.

NZQA is grateful to SAE, Suzette and the team who have opened their doors to share their aspiration and journeys, as they continue to evolve and advance their curricula, teaching and learning to better reflect an authentic Aotearoa context and exemplify the contributions that te ao Māori has to offer music production, audio production, screen production and songwriting in tertiary education.

Ka nui te mihi o te nagkau ki a koutou katoa.]