About this research
Our main question is ‘do hapū and Iwi views and practices provide an alternative paradigm to New Zealand’s biosecurity system to better protect our taonga species?
Māori have developed practices and methods such as the use of ritenga (customs, laws, and protocols) and whakapapa (species assemblages within a holistic ecosystem paradigm) to mitigate risks and threats to both endemic biodiversity and primary production systems from pests, weeds and pathogens. However, the 21st century has seen a rapid increase in species introductions to New Zealand, with dramatic consequences for both Māori livelihoods and cultural integrity.
Our research focuses on expanding and evolving research initiatives that have developed from the successfully funded “Establishing a National Maori Biosecurity Network” which was designed to bring together Māori involved in protecting our biological resources from biosecurity risks and threats. Specifically we have chosen to focus on one main research question, that is “do hapū and iwi views and practices provide an alternative paradigm to Aotearoa New Zealand’s biosecurity system to better protect our taonga species?”
We will explore what biosecurity means for Māori including the impacts of climate change; key socio-ecological links for community resilience and opportunities for the inclusion of mātauranga for mitigating and managing impacts from unwanted organisms. We will use this scoping exercise to survey and interview Māori communities in order to understand their biosecurity attitudes, beliefs and practices, and to identify common key socio-ecological links around tree disease and dieback in order to advance our understanding and application of indigenous knowledge in biosecurity management so that we have the ability to scope a larger more internationally reaching project that compares attitudes, beliefs and practices across a number of Pacific indigenous communities.
- Conducted extensive survey in collaboration with the Department of Conservation
- Held focus groups and wānanga to inform attitudes to biosecurity strategies
- Drafted publication out for review
- Shared and discussed results and strategies with Māori biosecurity network.
Kairangahau · Researchers
Dr Amanda Black
Tūhoe, Whakatōhea, Whānau-ā-Apanui
Lincoln University
Amanda’s research expertise is in environmental soil and water chemistry, focusing on major nutrient cycling, including…
Dr Amanda Black
Melanie Mark-Shadbolt
Ngāti Porou, Te Arawa, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Lincoln University
Melanie is an Indigenous environmental sociologist, and the Māori Research Manager – Kaiārahi for the Bio-Protection…
Melanie Mark-Shadbolt
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Kairangahau · Researchers
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Dr Amanda Black
Dr Amanda Black
Amanda’s research expertise is in environmental soil and water chemistry, focusing on major nutrient cycling, including the incorporation of molecular techniques to explore the relationship between functional gene expression and soil product activity. She has recently focused her research on ecosystem resilience in soils from managed and natural ecosystems, with a particular focus on investigating disease resistant traits (i.e. evidence of PTA resistance in kauri forests). She is also part of a Māori Biosecurity Focus Group, seconded by the Ministry for Primary Industries, and is funded by…
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Dr Amohia Boulton
Dr Amohia Boulton
Dr Amohia Bolton is the Research Director at Whakaue Research for Māori Health & Development with a career that has spanned public policy and academia. She has previously worked as a data analyst (Ministry of Education) policy analyst, senior analyst (Te Puni Kōkiri) and Private Secretary (Māori Affairs) and was awarded an HRC Māori Health Training Fellowship to pursue doctoral study at Massey University in Palmerston North. Her post-doctoral research took her to the University of Northern British Columbia in Canada where she worked with the Lheidli T'enneh First Nations people. Her research…
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Kairangahau · Researchers
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Dr Marama Muru-Lanning
Dr Marama Muru-Lanning
Marama holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Auckland. She is a Senior Research Fellow and Acting Director at the James Henare Māori Research Centre. Marama also advises on elderly health projects in the School of Population Health. Her research is primarily concerned with debates and critical challenges in social anthropology where she focuses on the cultural specificity of iwi-Māori and their unique sense of place and belonging in New Zealand. What distinguishes Marama nationally as a social scientist is her specialization in water, environment and indigenous rights. She… -
Dr Dean Mahuta
Dr Dean Mahuta
Dean conducts research into traditional Māori knowledge, revitalisation of te reo Māori (the Māori language), Māori history, the representation of Māori customs, language and lore in video games, Māori digital media and identities. He also supervises a number of Masters and PhD students at AUT. -
Professor Tahu Kukutai FRSNZ
Professor Tahu Kukutai FRSNZ
Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Co-Director Tahu Kukutai is Professor of Demography at Te Ngira: Institute for Population Research, The University of Waikato where she specialises in Māori and Indigenous demography and data sovereignty. Tahu is a founding member of the Māori Data Sovereignty Network Te Mana Raraunga and the Global Indigenous Data Alliance. She co-edited Indigenous data sovereignty: Toward an agenda (ANU Press, 2016), Indigenous data sovereignty and policy (Routledge, 2020) and The Oxford Handbook of Indigenous Sociology (Oxford) . Tahu has undertaken research with and for numerous…