Kanakana - The Pouched Lamprey. A Taonga Species

This pukapuka was created by Ariana Drabble (Te Arawa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toa) as part of her project report Providing the voice for kanakana: Assisting with storytelling and being part of the restoration journey for this taonga species (2024). In 2023, Ariana received a summer internship funded jointly by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga and New Zealand's Biological Heritage Science Challenge - Ngā Koiora Tuku Iho. She worked within the Freshwater for our Taonga research team, supervised by Dr Jane Kitson and Riki Parata, and alongside the Hokonui Rūnanga Kaupapa Taiao team and researchers from the University of Canterbury Freshwater Ecology Research Group. One of Ariana’s goals was to design a narrative that could be used to educate people about kanakana. This beautifully illustrated book is written for primary school students but can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is written from the kanakana’s perspective, highlighting the life cycle of the kanakana, fish passage barriers and conservation efforts underway. The story centres on kanakana within the Mataura River and the culturally significant Te Au Nui Pihapiha Kanakana or Mataura Falls but is equally relevant to other rivers across Aotearoa, New Zealand. “It is important to inform people of the importance of the kanakana and its challenges to raise awareness of its decline, to encourage them to get involved and help protect this taonga species.” – Ariana Drabble.

The kanakana Illustrations are by Jade Watkin, background illustrations by Ariana Drabble and further design and publication by Hight design studio and Edge Effect.

DIGITAL VERSION: FOLLOW THIS LINK

PRINT VERSION FOLLOW THIS LINK

https://doi.org/10.34721/nnqt-2176