About Us

Learning Opportunities

We work with interested groups to developed tailored programmes according to time available, prior knowledge and desired outcomes of participants.

We also offer regular learning opportunities open to the public. These two-day courses are hosted by the Canterbury Workers’ Educational Association (CWEA). Our next course “Understanding the Treaty in 2024” will be held on 9 & 10 December. Visit the CWEA website for more information and to enrol.

Our sessions are inclusive and non-confrontational and are designed to give everyone in a group the ability to learn from one another’s experiences. The aim is to explore what it means to live in this country, what Te Tiriti says, and how to think about and work towards the Treaty as a framework for the future.

We do not set fees for our courses. We ask that our expenses be covered and invite koha in relation to the provision of education. Invitations to work outside Ōtautahi are considered, as well as online sessions.

We welcome opportunities to follow up with participants and support the implementation of learnings. Anyone who completes one of our courses can become a Member of NWŌ which includes receiving Snippets, our regular updates with news and views on the Treaty.

Nominations of Members to the Organising Group are most welcome!

Course Content

Topics include:

• Ancestry and culture, values, cultural difference and cultural safety.
• What was happening before 1840, including the 1835 Declaration of Independence.
• The Treaty documents.
• Post-Treaty legislation and actions taken by Māori attempting to call the Crown to account.
• Personal and cultural bias.
• Bicultural / multicultural / partnership issues.
• Colonisation and decolonisation.
• Institutional racism, social statistics, and economic issues.
• Treaty ‘settlement’ matters.
• New ways of thinking, living, and working.
• Models and possible actions for moving towards a Treaty-based society, particularly in relation to a strongly sustainable future.

Networking

This involves local, regional and nationwide organisations in all three sectors – government, commercial, and the Third Sector. In particular we enjoy a collegial relationship with Treaty education groups throughout the country, and maintain strong connections to the Human Rights Commission and to Third Sector Organisations particularly in Greater Christchurch with One Voice Te Reo Kotahi.

We attend numerous events and provide displays featuring our resources, with our people on hand to explain our work, and we distribute hard copy resources all around the motu. The Ministry of Culture and Heritage endorses our work to teachers seeking resources to support education around Te Tiriti in the classroom: click here to learn more. We also consider making submissions on relevant government bills and have links with Government.

Current Events

KOHA

We accept koha in recognition of our work on the basis of what individuals and groups can afford, while taking into account the need to ensure that any amounts paid to us will not disadvantage mana whenua planning and will not put people off engaging in the workshops and other activities

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Snippets

We send out a regular newsletter called Snippets to our members and the colleagues who request that. You can become a member by participating in one of our learning opportunities, although previous issues of Snippets are available on our website.

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Additional Education Posts

• Why are there differences between Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Crown’s English-language version and what did Māori intend in entering into the Treaty agreement?
• Which document is the Treaty?
• What are the similarities and differences between Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Crown’s English language version?
• Who wrote Te Tiriti o Waitangi?