Professor Angus Hikairo MacFarlane: Supporting Māori Success in Education

Ngāti Whakaue, Te Arawa, Scottish Ancestry

b.28 July 1946 – d.27 November 2024

Angus MacFarlane was born in Rotorua in 1946. He was one of fourteen children and grew-up proud of his Scottish and Māori heritage. The collective approaches of his clan and iwi inspired him. Angus MacFarlane used the way he saw the world to change the education system in Aotearoa.

Starting his career as a secondary-school teacher, Angus McFarlane went on to work for the Ministry of Education and the Special Education Services. An exciting part of his life began in 1995, when he started teaching older students at the University of Waikato. In 2003, the university awarded him a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), which is the highest academic degree awarded by universities. He changed from being a “Mister” to a “Doctor”.

To earn this award, Angus MacFarlane wrote a very long essay called a thesis. He wrote about kaiako (teachers) of tauira Māori (Māori students) needing to be aware of the culture of their tauira, and how their culture affects the ways they like to be taught. He focused on tauira Māori experiencing learning and behaviour difficulties at school.

At Canterbury University, Angus MacFarlane became a pouhere (professor) of Māori research. That meant his title changed again! He became Professor Angus McFarlane. In this role, he remained passionate about finding ways to support Māori success in education. His work was respected not only by teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand, but around the world. Because of this, he was presented with the Tohu Pae Tawhiti Award in 2010, to acknowledge his significant contribution to Māori research.

Angus MacFarlane was an exceptional man. As well as studying and teaching, he also wrote books. His most famous book being “Ka Hiwa Rā” (Be Alert). The book encourages teachers to become “educultural”. That is, to reflect on their own cultural diversity and the cultures of others. In 2013, he became the kaihautū (executive committee’s Māori cultural adviser) for the New Zealand Psychological Society.

Sadly, Angus MacFarlane passed away in November 2024, but his legacy lives on. In fact, his work guided and inspired the creation of this website. Kaiako and tauira are grateful for everything he did to support Māori success in education.