A production about bringing back mana to working students was performed recently at the Māngere Arts Centre in collaboration with Black Friars Theatre Company, Māia Centre for Social Justice and Education and BRAVE The Village.
The production Truant, which was informed by academic research from the Māiā Centre, tells the story of five students who have to juggle work responsibilities to support their families, while also dealing with the stigma of being absent from their high schools.
The play is based on real-life stories told to researchers, who also had lived experience themselves as working rangitahi.
Their work involved speaking to 28 young people across five South Auckland schools and culminated in the Working Students from South Auckland Research report.
Kaiwhakahaere at the Māiā Centre, Dr Michelle Johansson, who is also the Creative Director of Black Friars, then turned the research into a script for the play.
Dr Johansson says given the government’s recent focus on truancy, she hopes decision-makers can gain a new perspective on the challenges young people face.
“We want people to remember how amazing our kids are, the media does a disservice often by pitying our young people, particularly in South Auckland who have to work to support their families when actually it’s much more complicated and complex and much more wonderful.”
Mike Piper, who is chair of the Māngere Principals' Association and principal of St Mary MacKillop Catholic School, shares similar thoughts about this issue.
“Attendance at school is a very complex issue with many layers to it, one thing alone will not help raise attendance. Supporting and engaging with our families is the start, building positive relationships and having conversations as to how we can help. Please engage with your school get to know your teachers, come and say hello to your principal.”
One of the researchers involved in the report Saleria Mafuahingano says whatever students choose, it’s important communities see the bigger picture and the wider benefits to work.
“Many see [work] as a way to contribute to their families, gain work experience, become more independent and self-reliant, and have an increased sense of their own mana (‘status’).”
While fellow researcher Oriana Ngapoko says students don’t need “pity” but support to make the best choices for themselves and their families.
“We need to be adding more mana and finding ways to help students balance their work and education.”
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