2012 Symposium Enhancing Māori Distinctiveness
Angus Hikairo Macfarlane is of the Te Arawa waka and its confederate tribes. He is an experienced educator and practitioner and has been an advisor and professional development provider for Special Education Services and the Ministry of Education on a number of national projects. The thrust of his activities is concerned with the exploration of cultural concepts and strategies that affect positively on professional practice, from which numerous publications have emanated. In 2003 he was awarded the inaugural Research Fellowship by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, at which time he took up residency in Wellington to carry out further work in his area of interest. In 2004 his landmark book, Kia hiwa ra! Listen to culture – Māori students’ plea to educators, was published. That same year he was a recipient of a Tohu Kairangi award, a citation for academic excellence in Māori education. His third book, Discipline, Democracy and Diversity, was published in August 2007. He has presented papers on culturally responsive educational approaches in several countries, including Australia, Israel, Thailand, Greece, Britain and the United States. Dr Macfarlane coordinates postgraduate courses at the University of Canterbury where he is Professor of Māori Research.