During my time in New Zealand, I have had the privilege to study subjects that aren’t available to learn about anywhere else. While this was an exciting thought while registering for my courses, I didn’t anticipate the challenges that would come with this too.
One of the classes I am taking at Victoria University of Wellington is called ‘Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi.’ Before starting the class, all I knew was that the document, signed in 1840, held a similar historical significance to New Zealand as the Constitution does in the United States. However, the class began while Te Tiriti/The Treaty was becoming a hot topic in political debate. Currently, some political parties are attempting to alter who is considered Māori, or native to New Zealand, in the treaty over 150 years after its signing. Rather than learning about the history of the document, the first class opened with discussions about the treaty in current events and what it meant to be a “New Zealander.” I was also surprised that words in te reo Māori (the Māori language) had become part of New Zealand English. It is also written on many signs around campus, but it was difficult to figure out what these words meant during discussion. Further, there are two versions of the treaty in te reo and English, which is why the course lists both names! Even as I listened to my peers discuss, I knew that I was out of my depths. Rather than getting too overwhelmed and dropping the class, I took it as an opportunity to learn even more about the country I was studying in.
The first thing I did to close the gap of knowledge between me and my peers was to research New Zealand’s history. However, most sources available online through websites and academia only provide a more Pākehā (non-indigenous people in New Zealand) point of view. After realizing this, I reached out to the course’s professor who provided me with some Māori-centric resources. This included a book on Māori history that focused on how Pākehā actions impacted them rather than what those actions were. The book was dense and a challenging read, but by reading it, I built a solid foundation for the class to the point where I began forming my own opinions on the questions proposed during class. It also helped me learn commonly used te reo. There were and still are words that I do not understand at times, but introducing myself to my peers has made asking questions a less daunting experience and not knowing less embarrassing. By speaking to my peers, I also better understand how what I have read about applies to the life and struggles of Māori and Pākehā people today. Through the help of my professor and peers, I’ve succeeded in learning the necessary context to understand the class’ content.
As I learned more about Te Tiriti’s impact and legacy, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities in historical struggle that minorities, especially Indigenous people, have faced in America’s and New Zealand’s history. In both countries, Indigenous people had their land stolen by their colonizers and today, experience consequences of colonization beyond land loss such as disparities in education access and health. This connection has allowed me to contribute a unique perspective to class discussions. Even if I do not know the most about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, I am still able to share a unique perspective in class when it is appropriate to spark deeper discussion. By rising to the challenges that taking classes in a new place comes with, I have been able to learn about and connect with New Zealand’s history in a deeper way than I could have ever expected.
Sofi Finn
Fall 2024
GW Exchange - Victoria University of Wellington
Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences Major