The Questions

What kind of person do we want a child to be, and what are the ways of the people that we want to preserve?

I think every family and every community must set about answering these questions for themselves.

To help answer them, regular family meetings in the community with young children present can be organised, so that when the parents meet, not only do they meet for their own purposes but they also attend to the needs of their children. Just as each adult is busy, so is each child. The concentration of a busy pair of hands, eyes, and ears, is the beginning of real enjoyment for a young child. More than this, young children get on so well together that they can, if they are watched carefully, set an example to adults in matters of co-operation, discussion, talking things over, and working together.

Talk and discussion, which are natural to children, have also fortunately been retained as a natural quality in so many Maori people, and out of this naturalness, as more and more families enter the organisation of a play centre programme for their children, I think the way of life of New Zealand as a whole will be immeasurably strengthened. Already in a few short years we have seen the so-called “shyness” of Maori children diminish. We realise clearly that ‘Play Centre’ matters, because even by five years of age a child may be well set in the pattern that he will follow for the rest of his life. A young child quickly learns that a play centre is a safe place in which to explore, to experiment, and to examine what there is around him.

Organisation

Probably more than any other quality, the ability of Maori men and women to organise their own groups in their own communities is one of their all too little recognised strengths.

Some organisation is essential. Children are very young when they start to listen, talk and ask questions. It is noticeable that when parents take time to listen back, talk with, and encourage questions, their children not only talk more and better in whatever language they are using, but also they make more constructive use of the equipment, tools and materials organised for them. Instead of tending to walk over equipment and leave a litter, a new awareness of how to lead from one constructive idea to the next begins to emerge. We can fairly ask, are these qualities of concentration, construction and development of ideas the kinds of qualities we want to see growing in Maori children? It is interesting that if the world he lives in is not brought to a child's attention, he pays little attention to it. Sand is just sand, water is just water, trees are just trees; but in the presence of adults who give a child the time that he needs—perhaps something like six or so hours a week of this organised play—the child uses these natural materials to further his own learning.

Equipment

Here too lies a great strength of the Maori people, because their traditional powers of observation and their awareness of the resources of nature are still retained. In equipping any play group for children—one that can be recommended for the growth of the child—inexpensive natural materials should be used. In addition to the sand, water and trees already mentioned, we can include the seashore, the mud, the clay, flax, the reeds, the flowers, the insects, the animals and the birds that are around them. Greater attention to all of these aspects of nature costs nothing but brings the greatest riches in terms of human development.

Also, children are interested in the community that man has made for himself—in his trucks, his cars, his aeroplanes, his motorways, his tunnels, his bridges and his dams. Children respond whenever materials are available for them to play with. Their various activities are suggested by the kind of world in

which they live. Furnishings of a home—a bedroom, a kitchen—can also enrich their play.

All these things, it seems to me, any family—Maori or Pakeha—can manage well for itself, if it is prepared to work flexibly, informally and in a friendly manner with the other families of the community. The emphasis is best placed upon the family, with the children reaching out to join up with children of other families; and upon the parents getting together to organise this play world for a minimum period of one half day per week.

Discussion and Decision

The Maori family, with support from other families, and with the agencies available to every New Zealand community, is, I consider, the best starting place for making a decision on such matters as how much Maori people require to change in order to cope with the world of today and tomorrow, at what rate to make this change, and what directions any changes must take. By making the decisions for themselves, they can the more naturally and comfortably merge their contribution into the total programme of community living. Without this contribution I consider that our New Zealand society will be the poorer; but I feel it necessary to stress that the Maori family must make this decision about change for itself, and that all families will benefit from frequent discussion on this topic with other members of the community. If to carry out this change Maori must meet with Maori, then I feel that such meetings should take place, despite any likely accusations of segregation. In fact to avoid such meetings may actually perpetuate the tendency towards segregation we already have in our society.

Personnel

Although it is important for any organised play group to have at the helm a knowledgeable person, equally important is it that this knowledgeable person shall be in every respect her natural self—a guide rather than a controller. To manage this effectively, a welcome must be extended to the parents of the children. It is for them to carry the responsibility, and feel their self-respect grow as they carry the responsibility for the group. This welcome must be further extended to all members of the community, especially the grandparents, so that they may contribute their wisdom.

Young children can be extremely curious, active people, and to give each child the care and attention he deserves, both physically and mentally, many understanding adults are required. Sometimes one adult for one child is required, which means that the size of the group is best kept down to about 20 children, of mixed ages below five. So we can describe the best kind of group this way: 20 children and between 12 to 20 adults all busy in a community group once or twice a week. The families in the community organise this group and equip it to reflect them and the community in when they live.

Busyness

One final word as a guide to the successful working of such a group: parents and grandparents must be as busy as their children, not only with their tongues but also with their hands; and three kinds of adult busyness can go on in this play centre world.

First, adult busyness of four or five women who have the responsibility for the care of the children for perhaps an hour at a time before they hand over to a fresh group.

Second, the busyness of three or four other women who are not caring for the children but who are learning to observe each child more carefully, and who are learning to discuss, as a group, what they observe.

Third, adult busyness at those handcrafts that are traditional to Maori people, at modern versions of traditional crafts, or at newfound crafts, with parents and grandparents weaving mats, kits, taniko, kono, tukutuku, and carving. Not only are the traditional crafts then being kept alive by the people, but as well they are being practised by children, who by the very nature of their activities are becoming more observant. Beyond the traditional crafts, Maori women are discovering their ability to compose action songs, write stories for their own children, and develop their skill at pottery.

This is one way, as I see it, that a community can grow and develop. And what better heritage can we give our children, than families working together for the good of the children in their community?

Mr Lex Grey, the writer of this article, is the Maori Education Foundation's Officer for pre-school education, and is well known throughout the country for his work in helping parents establish play centres and arrange their training programmes.