Maori Philosophy
Indigenous Thinking from Aotearoa
Author: Dr Georgina Stewart Series: Bloomsbury Introductions to World Philosophies
An introduction to the key issues of Maori philosophy.
Paperback
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Summary
An introduction to the key issues of Maori philosophy.
Description
Covering the symbolic systems and worldviews of the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa, New Zealand, this book is a concise introduction to Maori philosophy. It addresses core philosophical issues including Maori notions of the self, the world, epistemology, the form in which Maori philosophy is conveyed, and whether or not Maori philosophy has a teleological agenda.Introducing students to key texts, thinkers and themes, the book includes:- A Maori-to-English glossary and an index- Accessible interpretations of primary source material- Teaching notes, and reflections on how the studied material engages with contemporary debates- End-of-chapter discussion questions that can be used in teaching- Comprehensive bibliographies and guided suggestions for further reading.Maori Philosophy is an ideal text for students studying World Philosophies, or anyone who wishes to use Indigenous philosophies or methodologies in their own research and scholarship.
Critic Reviews
“This book is an anthropology of Maori philosophy, a journey following Maori thought and metaphysics as it wrestles with the dictates of coloniality/modernity. A much-needed introduction to Maori thought, Stewart invites the reader to be more than a spectator but a participant in that fascinating journey.”
A significant, groundbreaking and fascinating book that examines Maori philosophy in a meaningful and contemporary way. It will become a core text for the many courses that draw on Indigenous knowledge and Matauranga Maori, educating and challenging the way we think. Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Professor of Maori and Indigenous Studies, Waikato University, New Zealand
In this book, ‘native’ philosopher Georgina Stewart traverses the breadth and depth of Maori ways of thinking and making sense of the world. The relationship between traditional and historical Maori philosophical notions and contemporary Maori philosophical thought is examined such that both discord and harmony are embraced. Hemi Dale, Director Maori Medium Education, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Garrick Cooper, Senior Lecturer, Aotahi School of Maori and Indigenous Studies, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
In a beautifully written, at times painful, examination of living bi-culturally in ‘two worlds,’ Georgina Stewart ties together ancient Maori ways of knowing and te ao hurihuri; contemporary concerns in the modern world. She unpacks the tension of “fractionated” bloodlines, the postmodern dissonance of cultural performativity, and what it means to be authentic in fast changing times. Ruth Irwin, Adjunct Professor, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
For many people like me who are seeking to better understand the ways of thinking, doing and being of our Maori forebears and contemporaries, this book is a generous offering ... [Stewart's] writing should open doors to guide readers in their own learning, to work with respect for Maori philosophy and to build confidence in their working the intercultural spaces. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies
About the Author
Georgina Stewart is Associate Professor at Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
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CUSTOMER REVIEWS
Having said that, Stewart’s primary difficulty, it appears to me, is not so much with Western philosophy, Western science and Western knowledge in general as it is with “scientism”. Scientism is an unscientific, irrational belief that defies the very method it seeks to uphold; it is the idea that knowledge cannot exist beyond science’s capacity to investigate.
Had she made that distinction between Western knowledge and scientism I think Stewart’s Maori philosophy would have found a far more sympathetic audience not only among Indigenous peoples, but also and especially among religions that understand the great knowledge that comes from, say, narrative, myth and dreams – not to mention the vast studies of, for example, literature and psychology.
Near the end of the book Stewart appears to soften somewhat, speaking of Maori philosophy as responsibility toward the other, a deep comprehension of another’s point of view – in a word, aroha.
In an age of uncertainty in ethics, politics and the environment, Maori philosophy is much needed – as is Western philosophy. The two should be working in tandem, in dialogue, the one helping the other and the other helping the one.
Stewart’s book can partake in such a dialogue. The philosophy is good. But skip the unnecessarily antagonistic attitude that seems to permeate so much of it.
