Severed at the head: towards revitalising the mauri of Te Awa o te Atua

Mātauranga Māori: shaping marine and freshwater futures

“…By assessing indicators of cultural, environmental, social and economic well-being, Hikuroa and colleagues demonstrated the relative effect of major disturbances in the River catchment over the last 100 years. Results showed that the re-routing of Te Awa o te Atua had effectively 'severed the head of the river' and had the most signficant impact on mauri (Hikuroa et al 2018). The analysis has aided local iwi to quantify and communicate the concept of mauri and strengthen their role as kaitiaki.…”

“…In addition to examples of mātauranga-informed research and management of aquatic systems, this special issue provides examples of mātauranga-informed revitalisation of fisheries, such as scampi (Ogilvie et al 2018) and kōura , as well as examples of the development of mātauranga-informed tools for assessing the mauri of awa (rivers) (Hikuroa et al 2018;Hopkins 2018) and informing river flow-setting (Crow et al 2018).…”

“…Another tool that has been developed to afford iwi/hapū greater participation and tino rangatiratanga in environmental monitoring and management is the Mauri Model (Morgan 2006). In this special issue, Hikuroa et al (2018) use the tool to demonstrate how a depletion in the mauri of Te Awa o te Atua (known today as the Tarawera River) correlates to major anthropogenic impacts in the catchment. By assessing indicators of cultural, environmental, social and economic well-being, Hikuroa and colleagues demonstrated the relative effect of major disturbances in the River catchment over the last 100 years.…”

Mātauranga Māori in geomorphology: existing frameworks, case studies and recommendations for Earth scientists

“…Earth scientists are increasingly recognising the benefits of conducting mixed-methods bicultural research (e.g., Townsend et al, 2004;Tipa, 2009;Harmsworth et al, 2011;Crow et al, 2018;Hikuroa et al, 2018). Oral histories, lore and mythologies from Indigenous communities, explained through their respective worldviews, frequently feature stories of geomorphic or landscape change in their tribal lands (e.g., Gottesfeld et al, 1991;McMillan and Hutchinson, 2002;Hikuroa, 2017).…”

“…Re-engagement has identified research needs and aspirations of both Indigenous communities and scientists, leading to co-creation and co-development of research projects with respective responsibilities clearly defined. In 2007, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) catalysed reconsideration and rebalancing of Indigenous peoples' rights (Hikuroa et al, 2018). The UNDRIP formalised obligations of participating governments to support and protect Indigenous communities' rights to maintain cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, expression of their sciences, oral traditions and technologies (UN General Assembly, 2007), and created a platform on which mixed-methods research can be formulated, discussed and carried out.…”