Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand abstracts

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Māori Environmental Knowledge and natural hazards in Aotearoa-New Zealand

Darren N. T. King¹, James Goff², and Apanui Skipper³

¹National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd, PO Box 109695, Auckland 1149, New Zealand. d.king@niwa.co.nz

²National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd, PO Box 8602, Christchurch 8440, New Zealand.

³National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd, PO Box 11115, Hamilton 3251, New Zealand.

Abstract   Based on a long and close association with the land and its resources, Māori have developed a detailed knowledge of local natural hazards. This includes oral histories and traditions that record past catastrophic hazard events, place names that designate areas that are high hazard risk, and environmental indicators that inform about the safety and viability of activities linked to changes in the environment. Māori Environmental Knowledge is a valuable and neglected area of information on natural hazards and provides a unique source of expertise that can contribute to contemporary natural hazards management and mitigation in New Zealand.

Keywords   Māori Environmental Knowledge; oral histories and traditions; natural hazards; place names; environmental indicators

Whakarāpopotonga   Mai rā anō e noho pātata ana te iwi Māori ki tōna nei taiao, ā, he maha ngā pǖkenga, me ngā mātauranga i akongia e rātou mō ngā wāhi kikino me kī ngā wāhi mōrearea. Nā runga i ngā mate ohorere me ngā parekura o mua i mau nei rātou ēnei hītori me ōna tikanga ki te hinengaro kia kore ai rātou e whara, kia kore ai rātou e hinga anō hoki i te ringa kaha o Aituā. Heoti anō e mōhio nei te whānau, te hapǖ me te iwi i ngā wāhi kāre i te pai, ngā wāhi whakatǖpato. Ko ngā waiata, ngā tohu taiao me ngā wāhi ingoa te waka hei whakamaumahara ā hinengaro i ngā wā parekura i pātua nei i te iwi. Ki ō mātou whakaaro ka āhei tātou ki te whakamahi ēnei mātauranga hei oranga mā ngāi tātou nō Aotearoa, hei tiaki i tō tātou nei taiao anō hoki.

Kupununui   Mātauranga taiao; ngā kōrero ā-waha me ngā tikanga; ngā mōrearea; ngā wāhi ingoa; ngā tohu taiao

R06019; Received 2 November 2006; accepted 2 May 2007; Online publication date 24 May 2007

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Volume 37, Number 2, June, 2007, pp 59—73

PDF file of entire paper: Print-quality (774K) | screen-quality (358K)

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