What do autistic people think of Takiwaatanga?

Content warning: Mention of self-harm in response to the first question

It’s been nine years since the word takiwaatanga was created. Yet, I still find myself having to explain what it really means.

It’s a reo Maaori word for autism that was created in 2017 by Keri Opai, and means “in my/his/her/their own space and time.”

Takiwaatanga resonates with me a lot more than Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, I wanted to hear different perspectives within the community and explore what takiwaatanga really meant to others.

What I discovered was that there is no single word that will resonate with everyone. Just because I connect with the meaning behind takiwaatanga, it does not mean that every other autistic person does. Some prefer the word autism, others prefer kura urupare. In Te Aoo Maaori, multiple truths can exist at the same time, and that’s entirely valid!

When did you first learn about the word takiwaatanga?

Sian: In a pamphlet I was given when I was diagnosed five years ago.

Ryan: A long time ago, on social media somewhere.

Maamalo: Naa te koorero a Keri Opai.

Tee: On a Pinterest post.

Victoria: I first learnt about it in the process of getting my diagnosis for ASD. I related with Takiwaatanga more than with Autistic. A year after getting diagnosed, I knew that I wanted to get the word Takiwaatanga tattooed on myself by Josie, so whenever I thought about self-harming, I had a visual reminder of the journey I’ve been on. This has been very effective for me. I feel much stronger in knowing who I am than I ever did before.

How do you feel about the word takiwaatanga?

Sian: I love the translation of the word, it feels more human and less clinical. It resonates more with how I am as an autistic Maaori woman.

Tee: Mixed feelings. Positive feelings from a developmental perspective - there may be delays in social communication, and skills can develop over time, to an extent. We all have our own limitations and strengths. When I take this translation literally, it makes me think of how hoha it can be when people are taking their own time if you are on the receiving end of it. As an autistic mother to an autistic daughter, everyday tasks with my daughter take a very long time to complete due to sensory sensitivities. It can be frustrating when you are trying to get out the door and she is taking her own time. Then, my husband is also autistic with dyspraxia, which means he can take up to 3 hours to get ready as he doesn’t like to be hurried. Then there is me, I spend a lot of time researching things and take a while to make decisions. But I also think about how we all like repetition and getting into flow states with our special interests, where we lose concept of time in an enjoyable way.

Maioha: Well, I relate to the word takiwaatanga a lot more than I do to “Autism Spectrum Disorder.”

Ryan: It’s a fresh way to look at neurodiversity. It helps provide a more nuanced approach, as the current historical and systemic bias has led to a colonised viewpoint around neurodiversity that hinders growth and understanding.

Ifan: It’s a very beautiful word, and the translation hits true.

Maamalo: He mea moo ngaa taangata atu i te maaori ki te maarama taa maatou ahurea. I te timatanga a tooku maaramatanga, he whakaaro pai. Engari maa te whakaaro roa, ehara i te mea kua paanoni te whakaaro, heoi anoo, kaaore au i te maarama i te whakapapa taana. Kei a maatou kee ngaa kupu hei whakahua te aahua o te tangata. But like, ehara i te mea 'ahhh no more new words', rather that it would be stunning for us to reinvigorate ngaa kupu tawhito, ngaa koorero a ngaa tuupuna, ya know?

Victoria: It creates belonging, purpose, meaning and a way forward. I love the word and I hope it becomes more well known.

Sarah: Neutrally (as I personally don’t have hang ups over the term Autistic). I used to use it but stopped after I read a post from Dr Huhana Hickey that Maaori Autistic people already had a term they used, Kura Urupare. So I do not use the term Takiwaatanga, because I do not want to contribute to the erasure of the opinions and preferences of Actually Autistic Maaori. When I raised this with an Autism organisation who uses the term takiwaatanga extensively, I was told that the community was clear on takiwaatanga, but internally, I have still not reached a decision on which I personally feel comfortable using. I have effectively chickened out by using neither.

Do you use the word takiwaatanga to describe yourself and/or others?

Maioha: I do now, I didn’t before, because I was worried people didn’t know what it meant. Then I realised I could just explain the meaning if people don’t understand!

Victoria: Yes. 🙂

Sian: Not really, I tend to be in more Paakehaa spaces so I use the word autistic more often.

Sarah: No.

Maamalo: Moo ngaa taangata e taea te maarama, aae. Ki te kore, kaao.

Ifan: Sometimes. If I remember.

What words do you associate with takiwaatanga?

Ryan: Maaori, Unique, Authenticity & Different.

Victoria: Belonging, Purpose, Meaning & Understanding.

Sian: My Unique Space, Timing, My Own World.

Tee: Patience, Development, Hoha.

Ifan: Peaceful, Patience, Respecting, Inclusivity, Non-Judgmental.

Maamalo: Alienation and generalisation. Society must see us in our 'own space and time'; it’s somewhat othering. I don't believe it is reflective of all but it can encapsulate many perhaps. I understand it has the ability to bridge a gap in understanding but it cannot erase and ignore the ethnic cleansing of indigenous culture. If the culture was understood and respected, we wouldn't need the term in the way it is described. Not that I don't welcome new words. As a linguist myself I enjoy the dynamics and shifts of language. It is however in this context a situation created by need due to the long term intergenerational oppression of Maaori. I can acknowledge it can be a life saving kupu for some people to be understood. I say this in caution as we often find many people who are attempting to reconnect with their culture also transferring western world views into our language.

What words do you associate with autism?

Ryan: Diagnosis.

Victoria: Disorder, Medical, Diagnostic.

Sian: Boys, Trains, Medical Field, Disabled.

Sarah: Gifted, Intellectual Disability or somewhere in between. Medical vs Social Model. Quirky. Intense Interests. Genuine. Can relax around them. Easy to get along with. Straight up. For our women: justice seeking and fair. Beautiful souls. Trustworthy. “Honest to a fault.” Generous. Kind. Warm. Welcoming. Supportive. For myself: Loner. Freak. Mismatched. Weird. Dumb.

Tee: Spectrum, Neurodiversity.

Ifan: Autistic, Blunt, Harsh.

If you could say anything to Keri Opai right now, what would you say?

Victoria: Thank you Keri, for making a word that fits for us and the wider autism community. We appreciate you.

Ifan: Thank you for your understanding and bringing true meaning to the spectrum. It means a lot to be seen even when others don’t see us as normal. We do in fact belong in this world, even if we may struggle to navigate a capitalist society.

Sian: Thank you for capturing the essence of how I feel and navigate my world.

Sarah: Thanks for giving us a word. I would like to hear more from Maaori who self-identify as Autistic and would like to propel their chosen words (if they’re comfortable with other Autistic people using them) into the world. It is unfortunate how the world seems to assume that Takiwaatanga was always a term that Maaori used, instead of a very recent construction. That said, I don’t want to shit on someone who is helping to keep Te Reo Maaori alive and relevant in modern life!

Tee: Did you ever consider that someone taking their own time could be viewed as both positive and negative? It can teach those around them patience, but can also be a hoha.

Maamalo: There was a need and you did your best to fill it how you could with what you had. I respect that.

Maioha: Thanks for the laughs, and the lunch.

NOTE: the reo in this article uses double vowels, rather than macrons because the author uses Tainui mita as they live in Waikato, and have whakapapa to Ngaati Paaoa.