ABSTRACT
This chapter explores what biculturalism looks like in the organisational culture. Te Papa’s (TP) bicultural policy acknowledges “the unique position of Maori in Aotearoa New Zealand and the need to secure their participation in the governance, management, and operation of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa”. TP’s bicultural policy document states that in order to build organisational capability, TP will “as an employer, actively endorse, validate and respect cultural values, knowledge and diversity through organisational practices”, and “actively enhance TP's bicultural capability through training and development, and recruitment and retention strategies”. The chapter examines the ‘organisational practices’ and looks at how they are enacted in the everyday life of TP in the workplace. Celebrating special occasions such as staff birthdays, anniversaries and farewells, play an important part within most organisations. Despite their significance within the organisational culture, researchers have largely neglected these rituals with a few exceptions.
