On Wednesday 27th May 2020 Associate Professor Tom Roa and Dr Haki Tuaupiki in consultation with the Kaupapa M膩ori Management Committee (KMMC), gifted a M膩ori name to the School of Psychology at the 51萝莉:
Te Kura Whatu Oho Mauri
This name was developed through an iterative process of collaboration and consultation. Staff members in the School of Psychology were invited to contribute thoughts, ideas, texts of what psychology means to them. Our Kaupapa M膩ori Management Committee (Dr Mohi Rua, Dr Moana Waitoki, Dr Armon Tamatea and Dr Bridgette Awatere-Masters) collated and distilled this staff feedback to highlight key concepts, terms and notions of psychology.
KMMC presented this material to Assoc Prof Tom Roa and Dr Haki Tuaupiki to w膩nanga about a potential M膩ori name that could reflect such understandings. After several w膩nanga, Assoc Prof Roa and Dr Tuaupiki developed the name 鈥楾e Kura Whatu Oho Mauri鈥� and gifted this to the School. A public event was also held to ceremonially unveil the name to the School and the wider University, as part of Kingitanga Day 2020.
Kura reflects:
- a direct term for 鈥楽chool鈥�
Whatu reflects:
- the very broad yet focused spectrum of the lens that the school, and those external to it, apply to Psychology
- the heart (whatumanawa), the principles, espoused in, with, and of Psychology
- the stones of the consolidation of knowledge [in Tainui tradition, T膩whaki received the stones from Rehua along with 'Ng膩 Kete o Te W膩nanga' (the Baskets of Knowledge)] and the importance of consolidating the theories and practices of Psychology
- the weave of theory and praxis, by theorists and practitioners, to advance Psychology
Oho reflects:
- the awakening towards a realisation of the importance (in Psychology) of whatu and, in particular, mauri
Mauri reflects:
- the quintessence, the very being, the fundamental existence of all and everything that is Psychology.
Common amongst M膩ori naming processes is the connection to people, location, history and events. With that in mind, the following whakatauki was discussed as appropriately connected to the University, and the new School name;
鈥淢膩ku te whatu, m膩u te t膩niko鈥�
鈥淚 will weave, you will fashion鈥�. I will guide and support, whilst you provide the detailed instruction.
Te Kura Whatu Oho Mauri and the KMMC would like to extend its gratitude again to Assoc Prof Tom Roa and Dr Haki Tuaupiki for the beautiful name and cultural support.