1. Jennifer C. Greene University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
CREA Conference, April Culture in/and Evaluation: From a Transcultural Belvedere
Jennifer C. Greene
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2. Culture in/and Evaluation: From a Transcultural Belvedere1
Good morning and welcome!!
1Belvedere – a building or part of a building positioned to offer a fine view of the surrounding area.

5. Aotearoa is one Māori name for New Zealand
Ngāi Tahu, the main South Island tribe, has other names, prominently Te Waipounamu

6. Māori means ordinary – as in normal and everyday
Iwi in Maori means people, nation, tribe
Pākehā is the Maori word for white settlers, colonists

7. Freedom begins with naming things; humanity is preserved by it
Freedom begins with naming things; humanity is preserved by it. Eve Ensler

8. Intermezzo …

9. Overview
On rituals
What approach to evaluation is dominant in Māori contexts and why is that perhaps so?
What matters in evaluation practice in Māori contexts and why is that perhaps so?
What political issues accompany evaluation in Māori contexts and how are they engaged?

10. 1. Back to rituals Experience of welcoming rituals in Aotearoa NZ
Significance of welcoming rituals  creating a space for connection, engagement, trust – beyond professional countenances
Lessons for us?

11. 2. Developmental Evaluation in Maori Contexts
Developmental evaluation prevalent in Māori contexts
In Māori programs, fundamental shift from conducting and evaluating programs ‘for Māori’ to conducting and evaluating programs ‘as Māori’, that is, doing things in the Māori way

12. Example Sport NZ program, He Oranga Poutama (HOP)
“In 2009, programme evolved from a focus on increasing the participation by Māori in sport, to one of participating and leading as Māori in sport and traditional physical recreation at community level.”
“ for Māori … to participate as Māori”

13. Developmental evaluation further enables Māori evaluators to partner with program leaders and staff
Hui is the Māori word for gathering, assembly, meeting

14. And developmental evaluation affirms Māori connections to the land, to their marae

15. Marae generally refers to a Māori community complex, including the buildings and the open space. Historically, it referred to the open space in which hui were held.

16. Developmental evaluation:
Supports ‘as Māori’ program thinking, acting, and reflecting, and supports conducting a program that serves Maori ‘in the Māori way’
Enables evaluators to fully partner with program staff in developing and enacting an ‘as Māori’ program
Creates a safe and affirming space for the values and commitments that underlie these actions

17. Lessons for us?
Renewed focus on the character and magnitude of the program’s specific attention to and respect for the cultural ways of doing things in the contexts at hand – as situated in the larger politics of culture in the US
Pasifika refers to New Zealanders of Pacific Island descent (currently close to ¼ million)

18. Lessons? (continued)
Concerted attention to those subgroups least well served in the contexts at hand – attention mindful of possible culturally-specific understandings of and engagements with the evaluand – could be an important evaluation strategy in some times and places.
We could work harder and smarter to create evaluation contexts that are deeply culturally affirming.

19. 3. Evaluation as a social and relational activity
“Relationships are not part of the work; they are the work.”
Iwi – people, nation, tribe
Hapu – clan or localized subgroup of iwi
Whanau – extended family

20. Fiona Cram’s Kaupapa Māori Evaluation Practices
Aroha ki te tangata: a respect for people
He kanohi kitea: the seen face
Titiro, whakarongo… korero: look, listen … speak
Manaaki ki te tangata: look after people
Kia tupato: be careful
Kaua e takahia te mana o te tangata: don’t trample on people’s mana
Kia māhaki: be humble

21. He kanohi kitea: the seen face
“Explanation”
‘A voice may be heard but a face needs to be seen’. This is about building personal relationships and becoming known to the whānau/ community i.e. face to face approaches; and investing the time it takes to become known, that is to build relationships.

22. Examples of practices:
Use of evaluators who are local, of the community, possibly of the iwi and have good community networks.
As a consequence, they and/or their whānau will be known to some of the evaluation participants and stakeholders.
Use of qualitative and face-to-face methods of engagement (interviews, whānau, hui, etc).

23. Lessons for us?
Evaluators should clearly state and justify the values being advanced in and by their evaluation.
Articulate a set of principles, guidelines, and practices for our relational work  get better at being relationally culturally responsive in our work.
Maintain rigor, professionalism, and accountability.

24. 4. Evaluation and politics
Larger political context for Māori in Aotearoa NZ centered on:
Self-determination
Land and rights restitution

25. Overheard:
It is NOT ok for non-Māori to do evaluation in Māori spaces, no matter how much they know about Māori culture.
It is important to always start from a position of Māori strengths.
I do not do any multi-ethnic work or writing anymore because the Māori voice gets lost or watered down.
There is a difference between culturally responsive and Māori /indigenous evaluation, a difference worth articulating more clearly.

26. Lessons for us? Engage, not duck, controversial political issues.
Maintain vigilance and regard for cultural self-determination at least in our language.
Not “at risk” but “placed at risk”
Not “level of achievement” but mastery of material one has had the “opportunity to learn”
Engage in culturally responsible evaluation.

27. Closure

28. Thank you