Māori and Pacific Infant and Toddler Cultural Pedagogy: Reclaiming a Cultural Lens

Abstract

Growing numbers of Māori and Pacific infants are enrolled in early childhood education services in Aotearoa New Zealand (ERO, June 2015). It is recognised that infant and toddler care and education requires specialised pedagogy, methodologies, and theoretical paradigms. This article outlines research conducted with Māori and Pacific communities using a narrative research approach, gathering pūrākau (stories) of traditional and cultural knowledge and culturally embedded practices for infant and toddler care. Six case study settings were involved, comprising three Māori and three Pacific settings. These services are referred to as ‘language nests’ and are community-based Indigenous language nest services, established to build strong culturally connected learning foundations for children. The research involved each setting gathering pūrākau about infant and toddler care and education. Findings revealed culturally embedded Māori and Pacific principles that speak back to Western theoretical discourse, inform discourse, and provide guidelines for both culturally responsive methodologies and pedagogical practice.