Whiria te Tamaiti, Whiria te Tangata, Whiria te Mātauranga: Māori Parents’ Experience of Playcentre

Abstract

Playcentre is a parent-led early childhood education (ECE) model in Aotearoa New Zealand wherein parents can build relationships with other whānau while being present to educate their children. Playcentre has a long-standing tradition of empowering parents and children in their ECE journeys together. Māori parents’ experiences of Playcentre represent a unique perspective on this well-established ECE context. This research opens a conversation about different cultural perspectives within Playcentre. It is a timely conversation as early childhood education (ECE) is increasingly becoming an outsourced job, where funding favours teacher-led services. Focussed through a kaupapa Māori lens, this research explores Māori parents’ experiences of Playcentre, their reasons for choosing Playcentre, and their understandings of the bicultural ECE curriculum Te Whāriki. Data was collected through six interviews, as well as an interview I conducted with myself using a narrative inquiry approach, and was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings showed that positive partnership between tangata whenua and tangata tiriti is paramount to Māori parents’ feelings of empowerment as Māori in Playcentre. The importance of whakapapa both to te ao Māori through genealogy and to Playcentre through familial connections is explored, as it is a key factor in Māori parents’ decisions to join Playcentre. The final finding explored in this research is Māori resilience and the ability to turn feelings of whakamā into whakamana within the Playcentre context. Playcentre is a space where Māori parents who have been disenfranchised are finding a space to reclaim their identity as Māori and build resilience; however, that relies on positive partnership. To be able to thrive in Playcentre, Māori parents need to be better supported, understood, and celebrated in that environment.