"Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence." Leonardo de Vinci The principles of the Doctrine of Discovery, conceived 500 years ago, advocated absolute power and authority for European invaders to conquer and claim indigenous land. This shaped the converging of Māori/Settler relationships and validated the colonisation of Aotearoa New Zealand. This thesis contends that the historic and taken for granted power and privilege that has benefitted Pākehā, transpired through a reimagined, fabricated version of our separate and combined past. The study unearths ingrained Pākehā perspectives and stereotypes about Māori, and a rejection of their disparate culture and identity. It highlights the role of schooling in Aotearoa New Zealand as a tool of colonisation to erase the culture and identity of Māori and to maintain a world view that authorised power and privilege for the Settlers. The study challenges Pākehā to 'step up' by shattering the sphere of silence around our combined historical narratives. It urges us [Pākehā] to develop critical consciousness so we may reflect on the world, and our position within it. Inherent in this research is the premise that for Aotearoa, New Zealand to devise a future based on respectful and equitable sharing of social, financial, cultural, spiritual, and physical resources and opportunities, our silenced history, authorised by the State through the procedures of colonisation, must be acknowledged.