Honouring Indigenous Wisdom: Ancient Teachings for Modern Classrooms
The major role of education is the transmission of a society’s culture from one generation to the next. But whose culture, and whose knowledge, are we prioritising?
Many of you will know that I’m passionate about weaving knowledge from indigenous cultures into our education systems. When we do this with integrity, we offer students far more than information—we give them connection, identity, and purpose. We help them work out where they fit in a wider web of belonging, and from that place of connection, they are more likely to make authentic choices for themselves, even when those choices are hard or go against popular expectations.
This isn’t just about content. It’s about how students experience education day to day. It’s about how they are treated by their teachers, how knowledge is shared, and whether they feel a sense of ownership and belonging in the learning process. Too often, our current education system ignores the connection between students and the living world around them. It presents learning as disconnected from community, history, and spirit and acknowledges only the mind.
For decades, Indigenous knowledge systems have been marginalised, dismissed, or ignored altogether in mainstream classrooms. Instead of drawing from the deep wells of wisdom held in Indigenous cultures, we’ve imposed a uniform model of education that upholds sameness in the name of equality—yet fails to recognise the richness of diverse identities, perspectives, and ways of knowing that are actually inherent in each of our students.
It’s time to change that.
Why Indigenous Knowledge Matters for All Students
In many parts of the world, Indigenous children were historically denied access to education—or forced into systems that stripped away language, culture, and pride. These injustices have left a lasting gap in our education systems worldwide. But the loss is not only theirs. When we exclude Indigenous ways of knowing from our curriculum, I believe we rob all students of the opportunity to learn through story, land, spirit, and community.
Indigenous worldviews can reshape how we think about education itself. Across diverse cultures, we see recurring principles that offer powerful alternatives to present day models of teaching and learning. These aren’t just culturally relevant strategies for Indigenous learners—they are approaches that can benefit every child.
Let’s explore some of the key insights we can draw from Indigenous wisdom, and how we can begin to embed them meaningfully in our classrooms.
It Takes a Village: Community and Intergenerational Learning
The old proverb rings true: it takes a village to raise a child. In many Indigenous cultures, education is not confined to a school or classroom. Knowledge is passed down through generations by elders, mentors, and extended family. Here in Aotearoa, our curriculum encourages community involvement, but often only at a surface level. There’s a difference between learning about local culture and learning through it.
The challenge is real—modern life often separates families, and whānau are stretched thin with work and other responsibilities. But this disconnection is not inevitable. We can reimagine the role of elders in our learning communities, even when they’re not blood relatives. Imagine schools where wisdom keepers from the wider community come in regularly to share stories, skills, and history. Imagine a return to tuakana–teina models, where younger and older students learn from and support one another in real and authentic ways.
In today’s society, getting old is often treated as a disadvantage. But Indigenous cultures honour the knowledge that comes with lived experience. What if we did the same?
Play and Exploration: Trusting Children’s Innate Wisdom
Indigenous children have traditionally learned through play, exploration, and immersion in the natural world. They wandered, splashed, dug, listened, and observed—all without adult guidelines and authority. Through this freedom, they developed not only practical skills but deep self-awareness and an embodied connection to the land.
Modern education, by contrast, is heavily structured and adult-directed. Yet if we look at the research, it affirms what Indigenous practices have long understood: children learn best when they are curious, active, and engaged with their environment.
Indigenous worldviews often place humans within—not above—nature. There is a reciprocal relationship between people, plants, animals, water, and land. When children spend time in nature as part of their daily learning, it becomes a space of belonging, not just a background. By allowing students to develop this connection with place they inevitably develop an awe and respect for it. They gain a better understanding of their abilities and strengths which inevitably builds confidence and resilience.
We must ask: how can we bring this ecological wisdom back into our schools?
Respect for the Earth: Learning with and from the Land
Indigenous knowledge has too often been dismissed as unscientific, but this is slowly changing. Increasingly, Indigenous contributions to ecology, evolution, physiology, and land management are being recognised by scientific communities.
From the Māori concept of Papatūānuku (Mother Earth), to the Native American proverb “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children,” we see a shared reverence for the Earth across Indigenous cultures. The real learning comes in the fact that these are not just abstract ideas—they’re embedded in practice. For example, in Māori culture, the whenua (placenta) is traditionally buried in sacred land, symbolising the deep connection between person and place.
This worldview treats the Earth not as a resource to be extracted, but as a living being to care for. How might education shift if we adopted this perspective? Could we create a generation of environmental stewards, not out of fear of what might happen if we don’t, but out of love and respect for the land?
From Competition to Collective Good
Indigenous teachings often emphasise community over competition. In many traditional cultures, the success of the individual is measured by how well they support and uplift the group. Everyone’s learning journey is important because the wellbeing of the whole depends on the wellbeing of each.
Contrast this with the competitive structures of modern schooling—ranking, grading, standardising. What if, instead of pushing students to “get ahead,” we focused on bringing everyone along? What if our classroom cultures prioritised collaboration, shared goals, and mutual support? There is still space for those that wish to achieve to a high standard however, this is alongside others and often in a leadership role rather than by rising above or being ‘better than’ the next person.
Such a shift would not only transform our schools—it could reshape our society.
The Role of Spirituality in Learning
Spirituality is another essential dimension of Indigenous education. It offers people a sense of identity, meaning, and peace—especially during times of uncertainty. While not all students will share the same beliefs, creating space for spiritual reflection and respect in the classroom can be deeply empowering.
Spirituality helps us:
Deepen our connection with self and others
Find comfort in hardship
Discover a sense of purpose
Cultivate hope
Schools don’t need to prescribe what students believe. But they can normalise spiritual exploration as a valid part of being human—through quiet spaces, reflective practices, and inclusive conversations that honour diverse worldviews.
How Do We Apply This Wisdom in the Classroom?
Below are five key principles drawn from Indigenous knowledge systems, with practical strategies for bringing them to life in your teaching:
1. Knowledge is Holistic
Knowledge spans spiritual, intuitive, emotional, and intellectual realms. It is not meant to be broken into silos.
Classroom example: Use project-based learning that integrates multiple disciplines and considers the whole child—social, emotional, and cognitive development.
2. Knowledge is Connected
Learning is embedded in land, culture, ancestry, and community. Educators are stewards of this knowledge, not owners.
Classroom example: Include learning about indigenous cultures and incorporate place-based pedagogies that deepen connection to local environment and culture. Spend time in the outdoors learning authentically.
3. Knowledge is Interactive
All students bring knowledge with them. We learn by doing, sharing, and reflecting together.
Classroom example: Use sharing circles, peer storytelling, or collaborative mapping to co-create meaning in your classroom.
4. Knowledge is Process-Focused
Learning is a journey, not just a destination. Growth, transformation, and reflection on learning and what it means for each student is essential.
Classroom example: Embed enquiry-based learning, student-led inquiry, and peer review to honour the process. Help students to see how their learning fits for them.
5. Knowledge Through Story
Stories hold wisdom that transcends generations. They foster empathy and connection.
Classroom example: Invite elders or community members to share stories, or explore literature, film, and art from Indigenous cultures. If this is not possible share a mix of stories from different cultures to build understanding of other perspectives.
A Call to Action
There is a richness in Indigenous wisdom that holds the potential to heal, connect, and transform our classrooms—and our world. But this is not about tokenism. It requires deep respect, authentic partnerships with Indigenous communities, and a willingness to unlearn dominant norms in order to make space for other ways of being and knowing.
If we truly want to create an education system that prepares young people not just to pass exams, but to live well—as compassionate, grounded, creative, and conscious human beings—then we must look to the ancient teachings that have always known how to do just that.
Let’s honour Indigenous knowledge not just for the benefit of Indigenous students, but because it holds profound value for all of us.
Thanks,
Natalie
