Four decades after a ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’: An update on professional psychology programme responsiveness to Indigenous Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

I te tau 1987, i whakaputaina e Max Abbott raua ko Mason Durie te pepa, 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' i tiro whanui ai i nga taunakitanga mo te mahi whakatuanui ahurea tahi (te arotuapori rato) i waenga i nga hotaka whakangungu kia huri te akonga hei kaimatai hinengaro rehita. E wha nga ngahurutau (2023) i muri mai, ka taruatia e matou te rangahau, a, i tonoa nga kaihautu hotaka (n = 15) kia whakahoki korero mai mo nga kaimahi o te hotaka; nga ranga tohutohu Maori; nga akonga o te hotaka; me nga kaupapa ako o te hotaka. I whakaaturia e nga tatari whakataurite te whakapiki ake o nga nama o nga kaiako Maori, nga kaupapa aronga Maori, me te whakapumautanga o nga hononga ki nga ranga tohutohu Maori. Heoi ano, ko te nuinga o nga kaihautu i whakapuaki mai i nga awangawanga mo te iti haere o nga akonga Maori e tono ana ki nga hotaka ngaio. Ko ta matou rangahau e miramira nei, ahakoa nga whakapikinga, na nga tauarai mauroa i whakaaweawe ai nga urupare whai tikanga ki Te Tiriti o Waitangi i nga wahi katoa o te akoranga.

In 1987, Max Abbott and Mason Durie published the 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' paper that outlined evidence of monocultural (Eurocentric) dominance within training programmes to become a registered psychologist. Four decades (2023) later we replicated the study and invited programme directors (n = 15) to comment on programme staff; Maori advisory bodies; programme students; and programme content. Comparative analyses revealed improvements in the number of Maori teaching staff, Maori-focused content, and established links with Maori advisory bodies. However, most directors (77%) expressed concerns about the limited number of Maori students applying to the professional programmes. Our study highlights that despite improvements, ongoing barriers impact meaningful responses to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in all areas of the discipline.