RA1.1 PAPER: Te Mauri o te Kauri me te Ngahere

Te Mauri o te Kauri me te Ngahere: Indigenous Knowledge, te Taiao (the Environment) and Wellbeing

April 2023

Pomare P, Tassell-Matamua N, Lindsay N, Masters-Awatere B, Dell K, Erueti B, Te Rangi M. 2023. Te Mauri o te Kauri me te Ngahere: Indigenous Knowledge, te Taiao (the Environment) and Wellbeing. Knowledge Cultures 11(1): 55-83.

ABSTRACT

Ko te kauri he rākau rongonui, he rākau rangatira puta noa i Te Tai Tokerau. The kauri (Agatha australis) is a chiefly tree that represents strength and is an iconic symbol for Te Tai Tokerau, Northland, Aotearoa|New Zealand. This research was undertaken with whānau (kin group) participants based in Te Tai Tokerau to explore contemporary mātauranga (knowledge and wisdom pertaining to Māori, the Indigenous people of New Zealand) about the connection between the taiao (natural environment), ngahere (native forest), kauri and the hauora (health and wellbeing) of people. A summary of some of the key messages from participants is presented as four themes: 1) ūkaipō, the ngahere as a place of sustenance and renewal; 2) e kore te kauri e tū mokemoke, a holistic approach to caring for the forest; 3) barriers to caring for the forest and kauri dieback (Phytophthora agathidicida); and 4) transmission of mātauranga, the importance of sharing knowledge. Findings highlight opportunities for change and solutions that have the potential to enable the ngahere and health of people to thrive. This study illustrates how mātauranga Māori and Indigenous Māori psychologies can inform biodiversity approaches in Aotearoa|New Zealand, while also facilitating (re)connection with the environment.

KEYWORDS

Indigenous psychologies; biosecurity; forest health; taonga species; mātauranga Māori