Adult education within a circular migration scheme. A case study from New Zealand

Abstract

This article examines the adult education and learning that occurs between a Māori business and the workers they employ from the Pacific nation of Tonga through the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, a seasonal labour strategy allowing for the temporary entry of migrant workers in the horticulture and viticultural industries, with a preference for workers from the Pacific nations.. Māori are indigenous to NZ but their historical ties extend back to Polynesia in the Pacific and therefore common historical narratives exist between Māori and those from Tonga. A case study approach is used to highlight how adult education is embedded. Central to the success of this case study is the validation and implementation of indigenous knowledges and rituals.