Our three interconnected workstreams
Case studies
Resources
Te Kete Kaitiakitanga
Te Kete Kaitiakitanga is a toolkit aiding guardianship and marine management in alignment with Māori traditions.
Introduction to Te Kete Kaitiakitanga
Te Kete Kaitiakitanga represents a toolkit designed for practitioners, policymakers, and tribal partners to reinforce guardianship roles, known as kaitiakitanga, alongside New Zealand’s ecosystem-based management (EBM) approach to marine governance. This tool is crafted collaboratively to assist in improving marine governance and outcomes. It emphasizes the considerable overlap between kaitiakitanga—a concept founded on kinship and the obligation to nurture the physical and spiritual well-being of the environment—and EBM principles.
Analysis of Toolkit Application
The toolkit comprises tools aimed at understanding critical elements required for Mana Moana engagement, guiding users to provide for these elements, and evaluating the application of marine governance. These tools focus on relationship building, transparency, and accountability; aiming to incorporate te ao Māori principles such as rangatiratanga (leadership), mātauranga (knowledge), and tikanga (best practices) into marine management. A participatory approach involving kaitiaki and practitioners has led to a framework that integrates holistic, place-based methods shaped by iwi and hapū, which respects te ao Māori and strives to enable both kaitiakitanga and EBM for transformative change.
Concluding Insights and Future Directions
By acknowledging the complex interrelationships and reciprocal duties integral to kaitiakitanga, Te Kete Kaitiakitanga aims to ensure fair conditions for its practice alongside EBM. The toolkit seeks to balance traditional knowledge with modern science, promoting an equitable system that respects and empowers traditional kaitiaki roles. The complexity of kaitiakitanga, involving rangatiratanga, mātauranga, and tikanga, requires a commitment to continuous adaptation and inclusive co-management methodologies. Moving forward, the developmental processes must account for expansive indigenous worldviews, adapt to evolving legal and political climates, and refine management practices that honour the balance between utilization and guardianship.
Key insights
Kaitiakitanga and EBM synergy in marine governance
The alignment of kaitiakitanga with EBM principles offers a nuanced way to manage marine resources. This integration promotes a guardianship ethic that balances cultural values with environmental stewardship. By embedding Māori concepts within marine governance frameworks, there’s potential for more respectful and effective environmental management practices that are sensitive to the needs of indigenous communities and ecosystems alike.
Inclusive management tools for enhanced decision-making
In developing Te Kete Kaitiakitanga, the inclusive toolbox empowers Māori leadership within marine governance. It recognises unique connections and deep, place-based knowledge which is invaluable for understanding and effective management of marine environments. Inclusion of these perspectives is not just about fulfilling obligations but also about enriching the decision-making process with comprehensive understanding.
Te ao Māori principles guiding sustainable futures
Adopting te ao Māori principles into modern management strategies lays the foundation for a sustainable and equitable approach to marine governance. These principles, distinct in fostering relationality, reciprocation, and respect, exemplify a sophisticated understanding of ecosystem dynamics and human interactions with nature. The toolkit facilitates this integration, advancing a management system that acknowledges and values the intrinsic connections between people and the moana.
Related research documents:
Title and summary
Topics covered
Knowledge guiding change.
© Copyright 2024 - Tohorā
© Copyright 2024 - Tohorā
Knowledge guiding change.
