National Award For Inspiring Te Ao Māori And Sport Teaching

Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) Dr Phillip Borell has been recognised with the national 2024 Te Whatu Kairangi Kaupapa Māori Award,Ako Aotearoa, announced today.

A Senior Lecturer Above the Bar in UC’s Aotahi School of Māori and Indigenous Studies, Dr Borell incorporates his passions for sport and te ao Māori into his teaching, seamlessly weaving through disciplines of Arts, Law, and Health.

Recognising the need for a study pathway for Māori students pursuing sporting careers in Māori communities, Dr Borell combined his expertise in sport, whakaaro Māori (Māori thinking) and te ao Māori to develop ‘Te Ao Hākinakina’, a new UC Health major focused on Māori sport.

“I spent the last few years working on Te Ao Hākinakina major with other members of the Faculty of Health to provide a pathway for our young Māori who want to do a sports degree but also want to be connected into their language and whakapapa.”

Dr Borell leads a course on Te Tiriti o Waitangi which contributes to Māori and Indigenous Studies, Criminal Justice and Social Work degrees, as well as degrees majoring in Sociology, History, and Cultural Studies.

Dr Borell was initially surprised he could bring his values and interests into his academic career. “I never anticipated that my professional journey would converge at a university, centred around two of the most significant influences in my life – sport and te ao Māori (the Māori worldview),” Dr Borell says.

“I am guided by kaupapa Māori principles in all roles of life, whether that’s as a senior lecturer, a rugby league coach, an equity-focused small business owner, or a husband.

“At Aotahi School of Māori and Indigenous Studies, we thrive on getting students to think critically about how te ao Māori, mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and te reo Māori not just fit into modern society but actually can enhance society,” he says.

“Our role as a teacher is not just that of an educator but also of a kaitiaki (guardian). We have many students from kura kaupapa Māori coming to university, and it’s essential that they can be assessed in te reo Māori and have te ao Māori perspectives integrated into their degrees, no matter their field of study.”

Dr Borell was awarded the University’s highest award for teaching excellence, the 2023 UC Teaching Medal. His impressive streak of teaching success reaches new heights with the prestigious Ako Aotearoa national award.

“Phil is an outstanding teacher, fuelled by his inspiring passion and dedication to meet the needs of our ākonga and transforming bicultural education. He really lives the values of the University and this recognition of his hard mahi is well deserved,” Professor Watson says, Amo Matua, Toi Tangata | Executive Dean of Arts.

Te Whatu Kairangi Awards celebrate outstanding tertiary educators who are making a difference to learners, their whānau and communities.

“I think it is just so exciting to see opportunities where te ao Māori and Kaupapa Māori approaches to teaching are celebrated. In a time where it can be seen as divisive to celebrate our uniqueness as Māori, I am very proud that UC nominated me for this award and embraces the beauty of our culture and pedagogical distinctiveness. It is an honour to have my teaching, which is so grounded in being authentically me, recognised at a national level. It really means a lot. I hope that other Māori rangatahi can be inspired to be themselves and know that good things can come from it,” Dr Borell says.   

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