Te Manawa chief executive Andy Lowe: Te reo Māori should be normal

Te Manawa chief executive Andy Lowe says Pākehā think they know best all the time. Photo / Te Papa

Andy Lowe can often be heard at Te Manawa functions welcoming guests in te reo Māori.

He's not Rangitāne. He's not Māori. He's not even fluent in te reo, but he can do pōwhiri and mihi without notes and with apparent ease.

Andy is uncomfortable talking about his te reo Māori journey but also conscious as a white, middle-aged, male chief executive of one of Palmerston North's cultural institutions he's in a position of both privilege and influence.

He'd also love it if speaking te reo was normal. Several times during our interview, he refers to Māori as meaning normal in English.

Andy has been learning te reo Māori for more than 20 years. He describes himself as a basic learner.

In 2000, he married Aroha (Maniapoto) and they have two sons, Tahunuiārangi and Āniwaniwa.

Andy's parents migrated from England to New Zealand and he was born in Wellington. Growing up in Petone he was exposed to many ethnicities, particularly Māori. He also has Spanish blood and a Samoan uncle by marriage. He says he's been privileged people have shared their knowledge with him.

Andy worked at Te Papa at the same time as founding chief executive Dame Cheryll Sotheran and founding kaihautū Cliff Whiting, who were instrumental in creating a bi-cultural space. He was project manager for the Whanganui iwi exhibition in the mana whenua gallery at Te Papa.

His most intense period of learning te reo Māori was with the Te Ataarangi method, that focuses on listening and doing. It uses cuisenaire rods as a visual way to remember a karakia and waiata.

"It's a beautiful method."

He's conscious deciding to learn te reo Māori was a political decision but he wants such decisions to be normal. His sons' te reo journey began at a kōhanga reo, and continued at a bilingual unit.

He continues to fill his kete with knowledge and has weekly lessons with Tahi Gotty.

Te Manawa is Andy's first chief executive role. Before coming to Papaioea in 2012 he was at Waikato Museum.

He says Pākehā have all this power and the museum is founded on colonialism. He wants to make the museum real and inclusive, to do more than tokenism and have authentic engagement.

"Pāhehās think they know best all the time, including me."

Pākehā can live in a bubble while Māori have to walk in both worlds like a chameleon.

He recognises the weight this can place on the shoulders of Māori staff when there are one or two of them and they are expected to be able to do everything from te ao Māori.

Māori engagement consultant Nuwyne Te Awe Awe Mohi says Andy's respect for Māori language and culture shows in his daily work and leadership style.

"He's not Māori but he's got a Māori heart."

Andy used to be a mechanic and has a trade certificate in automotive engineering. He also worked as a puppeteer on Sir Peter Jackson's Brain Dead.

He has worked in museums since 1994 and is now a board member of Te Papa.

Kāore te kumara e kōrero mō tōna ake reka.

The kumara does not say how sweet he is.