Photo: Getty Images / Phil Walter
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei says Epsom Girls' Grammar handled the discovery of human bones (kōiwi) at the school from a place of ignorance, but the hapū quickly moved to provide support to the staff, students, and the whānau involved.
RNZ revealed that the school breached tikanga by asking two Māori students to say a karakia before the kōiwi, that were thought to have been used for teaching in the past, were removed from the school. It left the whānau feeling concerned and angry.
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust deputy chairperson Ngarimu Blair said he has been in contact with the school and would meet with them in the coming days to provide assistance and support.
"I feel sadness and aroha for all parties involved, which is the reason why we reached out as the tangata whenua of central Auckland to see where we can assist the school, the whānau, and the kaumātua of the kura to help resolve the issue."
He said schools should not have skeletal remains in their classrooms and hoped the Ministry of Education would look into whether there was kōiwi at other kura.
In the past, skeletons were frequently used in schools for teaching.
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei have contacted Epsom Girls Grammar to provide support. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
"I'm sure there will be learnings out of this, not only for Epsom Girls' Grammar at Maungawhau but for schools across Auckland and across the country should such practices still remain," Blair said.
"If this is a wider issue then I assume and hope that it is something that the Ministry of Education would be looking at and learning from this event."
But Associate Minister of Education Kelvin Davis said he had no problem with human bones in schools.
"Personally, I have no problem if people want to donate their bones for educational purposes for tamariki. I would hope that at the time this first happens, the appropriate blessing of the kōiwi would take place."
Kelvin Davis said he personally had no problem with people donating their bones for educational purposes. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Epsom Girls' Grammar acting principal Karyn Dempsey said the teacher's actions were well-intentioned, but were a breach of tikanga.
The school is working with the whānau and taking their lead in "healing the harm", Dempsey said.
The incident highlighted a lack of adequate resourcing to support the growth of tikanga within schools and to embed understanding of te ao Māori, she said.
But Davis said it was up to schools improve their knowledge of tikanga.
"Every school will have their own professional development priorities they invest in. If a school has decided not to invest in tikanga, this just goes to show how much of a priority this is to a school."
The bones have been removed from the school and taken to the University of Auckland.