Decolonising Knowledge: Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Oxford University Partnership Tackles Power Imbalances in Academic Exchange
Original framing: “Te Wānanga o Aotearoa formalises partnership with Oxford University” — bing news
The partnership between Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Oxford University must be seen in the context of the long history of colonialism and its ongoing impacts on Māori knowledge and culture. The Pitt Rivers Museum, where the curatorial residences will be located, has a history of collecting and exhibiting Indigenous cultures in a way that is often exploitative and disempowering. To truly decolonise knowledge, the partnership must acknowledge and learn from this history.
The partnership between Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Oxford University has the potential to decolonise knowledge and centre Māori perspectives, but it requires a deep understanding of Māori epistemology and decolonial praxis.
This means centring Māori voices and perspectives, and acknowledging the historical context of colonialism and its ongoing impacts on Māori knowledge and culture. The partnership must be grounded in a commitment to rigorous research methods, artistic and spiritual expression, and future modelling and scenario planning. By centring Māori voices and perspectives, and amplifying marginalised voices and perspectives, the partnership can subvert the dominant Western academic establishment and contribute to a more just and equitable knowledge system.