6 Sep 2018
Engineering New Zealand is proud to reveal our new te reo Māori name, Te Ao Rangahau. So, what does it mean, why was it chosen, and what difference can a name make?
We asked kaumātua and respected linguist Sir Tamati Reedy, of Ngāti Porou descent, to consider how Engineering New Zealand could be best represented in te reo Māori.
Sir Tamati took a conceptual approach, seeking a name that was simple and memorable. After careful consideration, he decided on Te Ao Rangahau. He used a wide interpretation of engineering and chose “rangahau” because it encompasses the broad meaning around engineering – to design, create, build, investigate, research and solve. Te Ao means “the universe”.
Engineering New Zealand Board member Jan Evans-Freeman FEngNZ has strongly supported the organisation’s adoption of a te reo Māori name. Although originally from the United Kingdom, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, College of Engineering at the University of Canterbury uses te reo when she can – in emails and at the start of meetings she chairs, and she tries to learn new words each week. She says it’s important a professional body has and uses a te reo Māori name because without bicultural consultation, engineering would be a flawed profession in New Zealand.
But what do our members think – can the adoption of a Māori name make a difference in the industry?
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
TAHI – WARNER COWIN CMENGNZ CPENG INTPE(NZ)
Based in: Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau
Role: Founder and CEO of Height
Education: Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Hons), University of Auckland, 1995; Associate Diploma in Aerospace Engineering, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, 1996; Postgraduate Diploma in Business and Administration, Massey University, 2000
What’s your earliest memory of te reo Māori?
My dad grew up on the East Coast speaking te reo before he spoke English. In those days it was actively discouraged in schools, so he didn’t use Māori when we were growing up. When I joined the RNZAF around 1998 I started to learn te reo Māori. I helped set up the kapa haka group at Ohakea and one in Timor.
What’s your current engagement with te reo Māori?
I’m not fluent but know enough to lead the way at hui and public interactions when needed. An understanding of the underlying tikanga helps me progress and have a different perspective on issues and potential solutions. I’ve been developing my language skills with courses in te reo Māori at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Unitec.
Why is it important a professional body has, and uses, a te reo Māori name?
It acknowledges our biculturalism and helps deepen recognition of tangata whenua and our connection to the physical environment. I also hope it stimulates a broader discussion as a profession about how we can apply the concepts of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) to make more balanced, considered engineering decisions.
What’s the most important change we as a profession can do to improve our engagement with Māori?
Promoting young Māori engineers so they can lead change, be confident articulating a Māori world view within engineering, and be role models for rangatahi (the younger generation).
What can all engineering professionals do to better engage with te reo Māori and Māori cultural values in their work?
Be open-minded to other perspectives, including the Māori world view – other views help you develop a balanced solution.
RUA – SINA COTTER TAIT CMENGNZ CPENG
Based in: Christchurch/Otautahi
Role: Company director, Engineering New Zealand Board member
Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Civil), University of Canterbury, 2001; MBA (Dist), University of Canterbury, 2015
What’s your earliest memory of te reo Māori?
Māori place names, the words to the haka and casual use of “kia ora” are all aspects of my earliest memories, before I was consciously aware English and te reo were different languages. My first memory of te reo as a different spoken language was learning the names of the colours in early primary school.
What’s your current engagement with te reo Māori?
Not enough – although my heritage is New Zealand-Pasifika I try to greet people in te reo and introduce myself in a formal setting with a mihi, even if the group’s not Māori. I’d like to see the language and tikanga form more of a natural part of the way we interact and operate.
Why is it important a professional body has, and uses, a te reo Māori name?
Speaking here in my personal capacity, firstly, heritage. Using our te reo Māori name immediately places us as a Kiwi organisation and acknowledges tangata whenua as an integral part of our identity. Secondly, te reo Māori is one of our official languages – as a professional body our name should reflect that and we have a responsibility to lead by example. Thirdly, inclusivity. Our industry is often perceived as being demographically male and European with knowledge and systems based on the English model. Our industry’s demographics are going to change over the next few decades and it’s important for us to change along with it if we want to reflect our membership.
What can all engineering professionals do to better engage with te reo Māori and Māori cultural values in their work?
Seek out new knowledge. Engineering New Zealand has some courses and there are many places to learn te reo in the evening or online, such as Te Wananga o Aotearoa.
TORU – EREMIA TAPSELL EMERGING PROFESSIONAL MEMBER
Based in: Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Role: Structural Engineer, Beca
Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Civil), University of Canterbury, 2016
What’s your earliest memory of te reo Māori ?
As a child, my parents and older siblings would use some Māori words when speaking to me but (at the time) they weren’t fluent. My earliest memories of fluent te reo Māori speakers were some cousins, and people speaking at the marae.
What’s your current engagement with te reo Māori?
I’ve always maintained a level of exposure to te reo Māori through my whānau, Te Arawa and Ngāti Pukenga iwi in the Bay of Plenty. I’ve been studying te reo Māori through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Wellington since early 2017.
Why is it important a professional body has, and uses, a te reo Māori name?
Māori is an official language of New Zealand. To be relevant and appeal to a wide cross-section of people, professional bodies should actively promote the use of te reo Māori. One way is by the use of a Māori name, signalling te reo Māori is a normal, and important, part of New Zealand society. The engineering industry has traditionally had low Māori representation and the use of a Māori name for its professional body will help encourage young Māori into the profession.
What’s the most important change we as a profession can do to improve our engagement with Māori?
Understand how the things we create as an engineering industry – infrastructure, buildings, software – affect Māori values and perspectives. Some knowledge of tikanga Māori should be emphasised as a key part of being a competent engineer in New Zealand.
What can all engineering professionals do to better engage with te reo Māori and Māori cultural values in their work?
As engineers, we deal with Māori names and places on a daily basis and an easy way to show consideration of tikanga Māori is to try to pronounce these correctly. Another way is to research the local iwi for the project you’re working on – their history, beliefs, marae. Not only will it be interesting, but could also prove useful for any iwi consultation.
WHĀ – CHANTELLE BAILEY CPENG CMENGNZ
Based in: Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Role: Senior Structural Engineer, NZ Consulting Engineers
Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Civil), University of Auckland, 2012; qualified RNZAF Aircraft Technician
What’s your earliest memory of te reo Māori?
Going up north to Pawarenga, Te Morehu Marae attending whānau hui, reunions and less frequent tangihanga. Also, as a child hearing my nana talk with her siblings and on the phone.
What’s your current engagement with te reo Māori?
Both my daughters are in their school kapa haka groups and learn te reo Māori at school. I attend the school whanau hui and I use my limited te reo where possible.
Why is it important a professional body such as Engineering New Zealand has, and uses, a te reo Māori name?
Māori have an affiliation with the land and people, likewise engineers with society regarding our practices, designs and influence on the future. A te reo name encourages diversity through participation and exposure and forms a link between people. Te Ao Rangahau is a powerful name that comes with responsibility bestowed by someone with mana. It’s a positive step and I will take pride in using it.
What can all engineering professionals do to better engage with te reo Māori and Māori cultural values in their work? Understanding comes from exposure that's best developed by attending events and presentations or through observation. Māori operate in communal groups. It's great when there are others around you to provide explanations of what's happening, plus support and guidance.
Pūtahi Kaiwetepanga Ngaio o Aotearoa
The organisation adopted a te reo Māori translation of IPENZ in 2004, generated by the Māori Language Commission. This was a long process but it didn’t result in universal agreement. Adopting a new English name was an opportunity to be gifted a more relevant and modern te reo Māori name.
This story originally appeared in EG magazine. To subscribe to EG, email hello@engineeringnz.org.
