MĀRAMATANGA (Enlightenment): A Creative Approach to Connecting Facilitation and Evaluation

Abstract

This paper presents a personal narrative from an indigenous practitioner who uses creative facilitation methods as part of her evaluation work. The narrative describes examples of tools used in facilitation and evaluation, along with some of the lessons learned from integrating creativity and structured processes when working with indigenous people in Aotearoa (New Zealand). These lessons include that it is important to facilitate critical reflection from a cultural base; that through culturally grounded facilitation, evaluation can come to have meaning in culturally specific ways; and that creativity is what links facilitation and evaluation.