Judy Gill
This post is intended for teachers, parents and boards of trustees. It explains why spiritual elements of Te Ao spirituality – such as karakia, references to atua and ceremonial practices – constitute religious instruction under Section 58 of the Education and Training Act 2020. These practices require informed, opt-in, parental consent and must be held outside of normal classroom hours unless such consent is provided.
Te Ao Spirituality as a Religious Worldview
Te Ao spirituality offers a comprehensive religious worldview. It includes spiritual deities (atua), concepts such as wairua and mauri and ceremonial practices like karakia and pōwhiri. These elements, when incorporated into school programmes, are religious in nature – not merely cultural.
Examples of Deities and Spiritual Concepts
- Deities (Atua):
- Tāne – forests and birds
- Tangaroa – the sea
- Tūmatauenga – war and humanity
- Tāwhirimātea – weather
- Whiro – darkness and death
- Rehua – celestial healer
- Hine-nui-te-pō – goddess of death
- Spiritual Concepts:
- Wairua – spirit
- Mauri – life force
- Mana – divine power
- Whakapapa – sacred genealogy
- Utu – spiritual balance
- Tūpuna – ancestral spirits
- Wairuatanga – spiritual awareness
- Hauora wairua – spiritual wellbeing
Religious Practices in School Contexts
Practices such as karakia, waiata with spiritual content, pōwhiri and haka are expressions of religious observance. When conducted during normal school hours, they are subject to legal constraints under Section 58 of the Education and Training Act.
Legal and Ethical Requirements
Section 58 of the Education and Training Act 2020 requires that religious instruction or observance in state primary, intermediate, and secondary schools must:
– Be authorised by the board of trustees.
– Take place only with informed, written, opt-in consent from parents.
– Occur outside normal hours of classroom instruction.
The act uses the term “religious instruction or observance”, which includes spiritual worldviews and both theistic and non-theistic belief systems. Therefore, spirituality – including that of Te Ao – is not exempt from legal requirements.
While Te Ao spirituality is often described as a cultural worldview, its modern application within the education and public sectors has taken on the features of an organised religion. It includes prescribed rituals, formal language, institutional endorsement, public funding and growing expectations of participation. In many cases, it functions as a state-sanctioned belief system – and, like any other religion, should be subject to the legal safeguards of opt-in consent and freedom of belief.
Call to Action for Teachers and Boards
We ask that all educators and school administrators ensure the following:
• No child is included in Te Ao spiritual practices without prior informed parental consent.
• All such practices, if included, are held outside regular class time as required by law.
• Written materials clearly distinguish between language instruction and spiritual or religious components.
References
• Education and Training Act 2020, Section 58:
https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/0038/latest/LMS177675.html
• Mātāmua, R. (2017). Matariki: The Star of the Year. Wellington: Huia Publishers.
• Mutu, M. (2017). Ngāti Kahu: Portrait of a Sovereign Nation. Wellington: Huia Publishers.
