Te toto o te tangata, he kai; te oranga o te tangata, he whenua
While food provides the blood in our veins; our health is drawn from the land
Environmental social scientist Dr Susanna Finlay-Smits leads He Whenua Kanorau, He Whenua Manawaroa, together with Dr Sarah Edwards (environmental social scientist) and Jade Hyslop (kairangahau).
"Through in-depth interviews with kaitiaki and pūkenga (whenua Māori practitioners and experts) who care for their whenua in different ways, we examine the social, cultural and historical factors that impede transitioning towards more diverse whenua Māori. Through these narratives, we reveal complex and often unseen interactions between people, colonial legacies, bureaucracies, and the environment, and show why diversifying whenua Māori is not as simple as it may appear in standard environmental guidelines," says Susanna. "Despite the challenges, we showcase how key concepts and practices can support progress towards more resilient whenua Māori.
An interactive online tool: Me Uru Kahikatea (Let us be like the Kahikatea).
"We use the artistic symbolism of a thriving kahikatea tree to represent these concepts.
"The concepts represent the unseen but integral elements that create fertile conditions necessary for seeds to germinate (te ao Māori, mātauranga Māori, tikanga, whakapapa, Papatūānuku).
“The roots, where life is sustained through nutrient and water transfers, represent the many unseen actions and activities that are driven by social and cultural obligations and responsibilities (manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, trusting relationships, kotahitanga, ahi kā, challenging regulation, disrupting systems). Without roots, the tree cannot be sustained.
"The words scaling the trunk speak to the more visible/seen social elements and actions (weaving knowledge, secure resourcing, empowered tāngata, effective governance).
"Finally, the ‘canopy’ represents visions for a thriving whenua, encompassing both environmental and human well-being (mana motuhake, flourishing mauri, thriving community, healing).
"By recognising and resourcing these complex sociocultural factors, alongside the more evident physical and environmental factors, policy-makers will gain a more complete picture of what it will take to support the journey towards diverse and resilient whenua Māori."
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