Year 8 Systems: Decolonizing Power Structures
A Postcolonial Approach to Government, Rights & Justice
This 5-week transformative journey challenges colonial narratives about power and governance, centering Indigenous perspectives and examining how systems can serve justice rather than oppression. Students learn to think critically about who holds power, how decisions affect communities, and what decolonized governance might look like.
"Mā te huruhuru ka rere ai te manu" - Adorn the bird with feathers so it can fly
With critical knowledge as our wings, we can transform systems of power
He Whakataukī - Our Guiding Wisdom
"He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata."
What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, people, people. This whakataukī reminds us that all systems must serve people and communities, not the other way around. As we examine how power structures operate, we center the wellbeing and rights of all people, especially those who have been marginalized by colonial systems.
Postcolonial Pedagogical Framework
Decolonized Learning Vision
- Challenge Colonial Narratives: Question whose stories are told and whose are silenced
- Center Indigenous Perspectives: Learn from Māori governance systems and values
- Examine Power Structures: Analyze who holds power and how it affects communities
- Build Critical Consciousness: Develop skills to analyze and transform unjust systems
- Community Engagement: Connect learning to real community needs and voices
Duration & Cultural Protocols
- Time: 5 weeks (25 lessons) with community engagement
- Cultural Consultation: Local Māori advisors and community leaders involved
- Authentic Assessment: Community presentations and action projects
- Cross-Curricular: Integrates with English, Arts, Digital Technologies
- Community Partners: Local government, iwi, community organizations
Week 1: Deconstructing Systems - Who Really Has Power?
"He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata" - What is most important? People, people, people
Postcolonial Learning Focus
Students critically examine how "systems" are presented in mainstream education versus lived reality. We challenge the myth of neutral systems and explore how power structures have historically served some while marginalizing others, especially Indigenous peoples and communities of color.
Critical Questions
- Who designed these systems and why?
- Which voices were included/excluded?
- How do systems maintain or challenge inequality?
Indigenous Perspectives
- Māori governance before colonization
- Whakatōhea (collective decision-making)
- Kaitiakitanga (guardianship responsibility)
Lesson 1.1: Whose System? Questioning Neutral Narratives
Students deconstruct the myth of "neutral" systems by examining whose voices designed them and whose experiences they exclude. Introduction to Māori governance principles as alternative models.
Lesson 1.2: Rights vs Privileges - Decolonizing Justice
Challenging individualistic "rights" discourse by exploring collective responsibility and Indigenous concepts of justice. Students examine how colonial systems created "rights" that excluded Indigenous peoples.
Week 1 Community Engagement
- Cultural Consultation: Local Māori advisor reviews all content for cultural appropriateness
- Community Voices: Interviews with community members about their experiences with government systems
- Family Engagement: Students interview whānau/family about their experiences with power structures
- Authentic Assessment: Create "Power Mapping" project showing how decisions actually get made in their community
Week 2: Beyond Westminster - Indigenous Governance & Alternatives
"Kia mau ki tō ūkaipō" - Hold fast to your place of nurture
Decolonizing Government Study
Rather than accepting Western government models as universal, students explore diverse governance systems with particular focus on Indigenous models that prioritize collective wellbeing over individual power. We examine how colonization imposed foreign governance structures while systematically dismantling Indigenous systems.
Colonial Government Critique
- How Western models center individual power
- Impact on Indigenous sovereignty
- Environmental destruction through colonial governance
Indigenous Alternatives
- Consensus-based decision making
- Seven-generation thinking
- Leadership as service, not domination
Lesson 2.1: Government or Governance? Indigenous Models
Students compare colonial "government" (ruling over) with Indigenous "governance" (collective stewardship). Deep dive into Māori governance systems, consensus models, and restorative justice approaches from around the world.
Lesson 2.2: Power WITH vs Power OVER - Transforming Leadership
Examining how colonial systems concentrate power in hierarchies versus Indigenous models that distribute power through collective responsibility. Students analyze contemporary examples of transformative leadership.
Week 2 Indigenous Knowledge Integration
- Elder Consultation: Community kaumatua/elder shares traditional decision-making protocols
- Comparative Analysis: Students research governance systems from their own cultural backgrounds
- Practical Application: Class implements consensus-based decision making for remainder of unit
- Critical Reflection: Weekly journals examining how colonial education has shaped their understanding of "good government"
Week 3: Local Power - Whose Voices Count?
"Whakatōhea tātou katoa" - We are all in this together
Critical Local Democracy Analysis
Students investigate how local government actually functions versus how it's supposed to work. We examine whose voices are heard, whose are excluded, and how colonial structures continue to marginalize Indigenous peoples and working-class communities in local decision-making.
Power Mapping Questions
- Who can afford to attend 2pm council meetings?
- Which communities have direct access to councillors?
- How do language barriers exclude participation?
Community Organizing
- Grassroots advocacy strategies
- Coalition building across difference
- Direct action as democratic participation
Lesson 3.1: Council Chambers or Community Gardens? Where Real Decisions Happen
Students investigate the gap between formal local government processes and where communities actually organize for change. Field trip to council meeting AND community organizing meeting to compare approaches.
Lesson 3.2: Beyond Voting - Community Organizing for Justice
Students learn that democracy is more than elections - it's ongoing community organizing. They study successful campaigns by young people and marginalized communities who transformed local policies through collective action.
Week 3 Community Action Learning
- Community Mapping: Students map power structures in their own neighborhoods
- Organizer Visit: Local community organizer teaches practical advocacy skills
- Issue Identification: Students identify local issue affecting their community
- Strategy Development: Begin planning community campaign using organizing principles
Week 4: Te Tiriti & Ongoing Colonization - When Systems Fail People
"He whakatōhea tātou katoa" - We are all accountable together
Te Tiriti as Decolonization Framework
Students examine Te Tiriti o Waitangi not as "ancient history" but as a living document that provides a framework for decolonizing contemporary power structures. We explore how ongoing Treaty breaches reveal the systematic nature of colonial oppression and how communities resist.
Colonial System Analysis
- How colonization created "legal" land theft
- Language suppression as cultural genocide
- Economic systems that extract from Indigenous communities
Contemporary Resistance
- Land occupation and direct action
- Language revitalization movements
- Economic sovereignty initiatives
Lesson 4.1: Te Tiriti as Revolutionary Document - Partnership vs Colonization
Students analyze the radical potential of Te Tiriti's partnership model versus how colonization systematically violated these agreements. They explore what genuine Treaty partnership would look like in contemporary Aotearoa.
Lesson 4.2: Systems of Oppression - From Colonization to Today
Students trace how colonial systems evolved into contemporary forms of systemic racism and exclusion. They analyze how seemingly "neutral" policies continue to disadvantage Indigenous peoples and communities of color.
Week 4 Truth-Telling & Accountability
- Historical Truth-Telling: Local history research revealing untold stories of colonization impact
- Contemporary Connections: Analyzing current policies through Te Tiriti partnership lens
- Community Impact: Interview community members about experiences with systemic inequality
- Personal Reflection: Students examine their own position within colonial systems and consider accountability
Week 5: Building Decolonized Systems - Community Action Project
"Mā te huruhuru ka rere ai te manu" - Adorn the bird with feathers so it can fly
Transformative Action & System Building
Students move beyond critique to creation, designing and implementing community action projects that challenge unjust systems while modeling decolonized alternatives. This capstone experience connects learning to real community needs and demonstrates how young people can be agents of transformative change.
Decolonized Design Principles
- Community voice leads decision-making
- Indigenous knowledge integrated respectfully
- Power shared, not concentrated
- Environmental and cultural sustainability prioritized
Community Impact Focus
- Address real issues identified by community members
- Build lasting relationships and coalitions
- Create accountability mechanisms
- Plan for long-term sustainability
Lesson 5.1: From Analysis to Action - Community Campaign Design
Student teams finalize their community action campaigns using organizing principles learned throughout the unit. They create strategic plans that integrate Indigenous governance values with practical advocacy tactics.
Lesson 5.2: Community Presentations & Commitment to Action
Students present their action projects to community members, receive feedback, and make commitments for ongoing work. This is not an end but a beginning of their journey as community organizers and system changers.
Week 5 Community Action Implementation
- Campaign Launch: Students implement their community action projects with mentor support
- Community Presentation: Public presentation to families, community leaders, and local officials
- Reflection & Commitment: Personal commitments to ongoing community engagement and system change
- Network Building: Connect with ongoing community organizations for sustained involvement
Aromatawai - Postcolonial Assessment Framework
Authentic Assessment Approaches
- Community Action Portfolio: Documentation of organizing work with community feedback
- Critical Analysis Projects: Deconstructing power structures using postcolonial frameworks
- Cultural Competency Demonstrations: Respectful engagement with Indigenous knowledge and protocols
- Peer Teaching & Collaboration: Sharing knowledge using consensus-based approaches
- Reflective Practice: Ongoing self-examination of positionality and growth in critical consciousness
Success Indicators & Growth Measures
- Critical Consciousness: Ability to identify and analyze systems of oppression
- Cultural Respect: Demonstrates understanding of Indigenous perspectives and protocols
- Community Connection: Builds authentic relationships with community members and organizations
- Action Orientation: Moves from awareness to concrete steps toward justice
- Collaborative Leadership: Practices shared power and collective decision-making
Differentiation & Inclusive Practices
Multiple Ways to Show Learning
- Visual projects & infographics
- Oral presentations & storytelling
- Digital media & technology
- Written analysis & research
- Community organizing & action
Cultural Responsiveness
- Honor diverse cultural backgrounds
- Provide multiple language options
- Accommodate different learning styles
- Respect varying comfort levels with political analysis
Support Systems
- Peer mentoring & collaboration
- Community mentor connections
- Flexible deadlines & check-ins
- Emotional support for difficult topics
Whakamutunga - Unit Reflection & Ongoing Commitment
This unit is not about studying systems from the outside - it's about recognizing ourselves as part of systems and taking responsibility for transformation. Students complete this journey with critical tools for analyzing power, deep respect for Indigenous knowledge, and concrete skills for community organizing.
"Kia mau ki tō ūkaipō" - Hold fast to your place of nurture, while working for justice everywhere.
The learning continues beyond these 5 weeks as students maintain community connections and continue their development as agents of decolonization and system transformation.