Opinion: Massey Halls Use te reo Māori as a Welcome Mat
Art / Tara Griz
A majority of Massey halls have Māori names, which would make me think tikanga Māori is central to hall life. But the deeper you look, the clearer it becomes that this is mostly surface level. These names feel like fluffy home decor rather than real representation.
Other universities have entire homes or hall floors put aside for Māori students. But at Massey, it appears te reo Māori is used as a welcome mat to wipe our feet on — with no home beyond it.
This isn’t to say Massey has no Māori spaces full stop, but these are limited to campuses. On the surface, the Māori hall names feel inclusive. But digging deeper, I couldn’t find the reason for the name sakes. And if they are gifted names, I wouldn’t know who by.
In Manawatū, one of the hall complexes are named after native trees: Mataī, Miro, Tawa, and Tōtara. Yet seemingly, this holds no direct connection to tikanga Māori — simply a convenient way of naming halls.
Online, two community spaces are highlighted in the Manawatū halls: Kānuka and Karaka. Kānuka is described as a high-energy entertainment hub for socialising, whilst Karaka is a low-sensory space for rest. You’d expect the names to reflect these functions, but they actually translate to native berries.
Wellington’s first-year hall, Kāinga Rua, is split into two areas named Whare and Nui. Kāinga Rua simply translates to home/residence two, whare means house, and nui means large/plentiful. The names simply feel like tokenism rather than genuine inclusion.
Auckland’s halls are collectively named Te Ōhanga Village — a name that references the Māori economy and community life. Again, it sounds promising, but there is little evidence of Māori spaces anywhere in the village.
According to the university website, Massey had the highest number of Māori students across all Aotearoa universities in 2023. Yet Massey is falling behind in terms of Māori accommodation.
In Māori culture, living together with other Māori whānau and friends is super important. It’s deeply tied with whanaungatanga — a Māori value encompassing the importance of connecting with others and maintaining a strong relationship. Māori whānau often spend a lot more time together compared to Pakeha families to strengthen whanaungatanga. For Māori students, this ability to feel supported, to have a community to go back to is key to their wellbeing.
Other universities have acknowledged whanaungatanga with dedicated Māori spaces. Victoria University has Whānau Housing, which the university website says is an environment created to support those wanting to connect with their taha Māori. Students in their second year and above can request to live in the Whare Hinau — Kelburn Flats. Here, tikanga Māori and te reo are a part of everyday life. For Māori students who grew up in similar environments, this means they can feel comfortable and included in Vic’s student housing.
At Victoria’s Joan Stevens hall, there is a dedicated Māori floor for first-years called Marino. This floor has their own Instagram account where they post achievements, upcoming cultural events, and uplift Māori culture. It’s clear they’ve cultivated a real whānau — leaving me with serious FOMO.
At the University of Canterbury, two of their halls also have Māori names — Tupuānuku and Tupuārangi. On its website, it clearly defines the meaning of the names as two of the nine stars of Matariki, and credits the iwi which gifted the name Tupuārangi, as Ngāi Tūāhuriri. This reasoning, history, and definition is something I don’t see from Massey. At both halls, students can request to be co-located with other Māori or Pacific students.
The University of Auckland has more to offer too. Grafton Hall has the Kaupapa Māori Community. This spaces centres Reo and te ao Māori, providing room for academic, social and cultural growth. It’s designed for students at all stages in their cultural journey. And at their O'Rorke Hall, there is a specific floor for Pasifika students.
For Māori like me who didn’t grow up knowing a lot of tikanga Māori, these kinds of halls are an opportunity to learn about taha Māori. Incorporating Māori culture into halls would mean I’d be able to live and breathe my culture, exploring and learning in a safe place.
I don’t feel as though my culture is validated by Massey’s halls — it feels like it’s been trademarked.
Including these spaces isn’t simply a practical solution — it's a cultural necessity for quality of life. In 2021, Stats NZ reported that Māori people who lived close to their marae tipuna were more likely to be engaged with their culture than those who lived further away. With Massey’s current lack of Māori spaces deprives students of the opportunity to live harmoniously with their culture. Transitioning from home life to hall life is hard, but it shouldn’t have to risk losing connection to your culture.
While not all Māori students necessarily want to live in a designated Māori environment, they should still have the option. I know I would have liked to. Something small is always better than nothing — and can grow to be something bigger.
Halls were central to my university experience, giving me new friends, experiences, and a better understanding of who I am. But seeing Māori students at other universities bond through a celebration of their culture has made it clear how important these practices are.
I don’t doubt that Massey cares about its Māori students — its campus spaces like Te Rau Tauawhi are much appreciated. But I can’t ignore the sore absence of cultural spaces in halls. If the university wants to uplift its Māori student body, then cultivating their culture in their halls are the most obvious place to start.
A te reo name shouldn’t be decoration on a building sign.