Within the Polynesian group, the best known are the Maori that inhabit New Zealand for several aspects rooted in popular culture, such as tattoos and Haka dance.
But for New Zealanders most important thing is the culture that still cling to them even yet. In this sense, institutions have been created to preserve these aspects that are believed forgotten, until the mid 70's, because of all the conflicts that shook the world and since its colonization by England. Here's how it happened with the Maori language (Reo Maori) that was proclaimed by the English language ofcicial in 1985 by what is now considered a national treasure (national taonga).
Since then has come a revival of Maori identity, being created educational institutions (schools and universities) that preserve indigenous wisdom and traditions, in addition to this, radio and television stations that broadcast them.
Education model
Due to this feeling of revitalization it was created the concept of Kōhanga reo ("language nest") that are Māori immersion kindergartens.
The first Kōhanga reo was founded in Wainuiomata in 1982, when there were fears that the Māori language was dying out. The success of the kōhanga reo programme is such that they have been followed by primary schools and secondary schools (Kura Kaupapa Māori) where Māori is the primary language of instruction. The role of Maori language in education in New Zealand is enshrined in the Education Act 1989.
The success of the concept has led to kōhanga reo in New Zealand that instruct in other Pacific languages, such as Fijian, Rarotongan, Samoan, and Tongan and other countries adopting a similar concept. A notable example being Pūnana Leo established in Hawaii to revitalize the indigenous Hawaiian language.
There exist Wānanga too, that is a publicly owned tertiary institution that provides education in a Māori cultural context. Section 162 of the Education Act 1989 specifies that wānanga resemble mainstream universities in many ways. As of 2009, wānanga offer certificates, diplomas, and bachelor-level degrees, with some wānanga providing programmes in specialized areas up to doctorate level.
Wānanga educational programmes are accredited through the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and the Ministry of Education, and are partly governed by New Zealand's Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).
In traditional times the word wānanga conveyed meanings related to highly evolved knowledge, lore, occult arts, and also "forum" in the sense of a discussion to arrive at deeper understanding.
In conclusion, as I wrote above, this model of preservation of a culture through formal education has been adapted to others cultures in almost all Oceanian countries and colonies with positive results, but at the same time, standardizing what maybe it was a little more dispersed and richer in cultural terms.
I think we must apply in Chile a similar model to the New Zeland model for native population. We have segregated our own native people, as if we are ashamed of that chapter of our history. It is time to retrieve all the damage and suffer and give them the place they deserve in the chilean sociaty.
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