Too hard basket: Questions and answers about Tiriti and racial justice

One of the devices Heather Came & Associates use in the classroom is the Too Hard Basket. We use it has a mechanism to co-create curriculum with what are learners are curious about. The questions are collected at the beginning of class and answered by a Too Hard Basket panel in the afternoon. The questions are honest, thoughtful and often brave. With the permission of our students, we are going to start sharing some of the questions and answers in case they are useful for others working in the field.  

1. As a Pākehā I am always worried about doing the wrong thing, how do I fix or address that?

Mistakes happen in all contexts of our life including when we engage in antiracism and Tiriti work. We have to accept that as we unlearn colonial habits, we will stumble. The goal isn't to be a perfect ally, but a reliable, trustworthy, accountable one. Focus less on your own anxiety and feelings and more on supporting better outcomes for Māori. When you mess up, acknowledge it, learn the lesson, and keep moving. Inaction is more problematic than a well-intentioned mistake made while trying to do the right thing.

2. Why do some Pākehā keep telling me about how Māori get all kinds of “free” stuff.? What are they getting that the rest of us don’t?

Fabulous question. This narrative is a classic colonial distraction used to undermine Māori rights. The Waitangi Tribunal has consistently documented that Māori are disproportionately affected by systemic underfunding in health, education, and housing.  As of the 2025/6 budget less than 2% of vote health went to Māori health. Likewise, the economic base of Māori was virtually eliminated with the mass alienation of Māori land in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Often Māori specific scholarships for education are funded by iwi. In short, we don’t know what this “free stuff” is either. Instead of asking what Māori are getting, we could ask why the system continues to produce disparate outcomes and how we can achieve equity.

3. How do you balance professional boundaries with whanaungatanga?

Western "professionalism" was designed to be clinical and detached, which is often negating to Te Ao Māori. Balancing the two requires shifting our mindset: whanaungatanga is professional when working in Aotearoa. It’s about building a foundation of relationship and trust before getting down to business. You can maintain your ethical responsibilities while being a warm, connected human being. If your professional boundaries prevent you from being in relation with people, then those boundaries are likely reinforcing a colonial standard.

4. Why do we need a Māori cultural liaison person at our workplace?

Often Pākehā expect Māori staff to do all the “Māori stuff” over and above their regular jobs. A dedicated liaison role acknowledges that cultural safety, tikanga and reo expertise, and community engagement are high-level professional skills that require resourcing. This person helps the organisations navigate Tiriti responsibilities and protects Māori staff from the cultural loading. However, one person can’t hold Tiriti and racial justice; the whole leadership must still do the work to ensure the environment is safe for that kaimahi to flourish.

5. Do you think there is a united view on good outcomes for Māori?

There is not one Māori world view. Mason Durie has taught us about diverse Māori realities depending on connection with marae and hapū, whether they are takatāpui, tangata whaikaha. Just like Pākehā, Māori have diverse political and social views. That said there is often a strong, consistent consensus around the need for tino rangatiratanga (self-determination), the protection of taonga, and the elimination of institutional racism. While the how might be debated at different kitchen tables or marae, the what—justice, equity, decolonisation and the right to live as Māori—remains a clear, collective aspiration.

6. How do you deal with racism in your extended family?

Confronting family is the hard yards of antiracism work. Because you want to hold the relationship, but it can also be emotionally exhausting. Try to move away from calling out (shaming) and toward calling in (curiosity). Ask, "What makes you say that?" or "I used to think that too, until I learned..." Set firm boundaries: make it clear that racist rhetoric isn't acceptable in your home. You’re not just changing a mind; you’re breaking a generational cycle of colonial prejudice. Consider having one on one conversations with your racist uncle rather than tackling him in front of the wider family. Also, pick your occasion if you have been drinking and you are at a wedding or funeral maybe pick up the conversation another day.