A Critical Tiriti Analysis of the Treaty Statement From a University in Aotearoa New Zealand

Universities in Aotearoa New Zealand have been placed under the spotlight for claims of systemic racism. Following the claims made in relation to the University of Waikato in 2020 and University of Otago in 2022, universities have the responsibility to create an inclusive environment where systemic racism is dismantled, to meaningfully partner with Māori to construct a model for decolonisation, and to enhance the academic experience of Māori staff and students by weaving in mātauranga Māori into existing teaching and research practices. The University of Waikato progresses ahead of other universities in its attempt to fulfil Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitment through the introduction of the Treaty Statement. In this paper, the Treaty Statement is used as a case study to identify how universities articulate bicultural commitments. To do so, our team (consisting of Māori and tauiwi scholars) performed a critical Tiriti analysis comprising five phases to investigate the degree of alignment of the statement with Te Tiriti. The desktop analysis showed poor engagement with most Te Tiriti elements. The analysis evaluation of “good” (more than satisfactory) was measured for the consideration of “Māori exercising equitable citizenship”. This article concludes with recommendations of how universities can strengthen their practices to live up to Te Tiriti aspirations.