Ako ki he nofo ‘a Kāinga: A Case Study of Pastoral Care Between Wakatū/Kono and Recognised Seasonal Employment Workers

Abstract

For those who enter a new country as labor migrants, the appropriate support to adapt to the work place and the country is essential. An appreciation of cultures against the background of a strongly capitalistic model where human labor can be treated as a commodity must be negotiated. Some employers provide just minimal care while others adopt a “family” model. Through a case study between a Māori employer and Tongan RSE workers, a successful pastoral care model based on ako (to learn and to teach) and kāinga (kin, village, place) has been a strong contributing factor to a successful business relationship. Implicit in the relationship is a shared value base which derives from both groups sharing common, albeit ancient ancestry genealogy/whakapapa. Key outcomes include a sense of obligation, accountability, and reciprocity and a sense of belonging through the deliberate and authentic application of Māori values and world views. The Tongan workers added their cultural capital to the interaction legitimizing an ongoing obligation to kinship across space, time and generations.