To Tātou Iwi, To Tātou Pā Harakeke: The Power and Possibilities of Research Collaboration With Tribal Communities in Aotearoa New Zealand

• In Event: Accepting Educational Responsibility: Indigenous Models of Innovation and Collaborative Research

Abstract

This paper will explore a case-study project that stands at the nexus of exploitation and sustainability, and which utilizes a transdisciplinary approach to re-engage a small coastal hapū (subtribe) with their immediate environment. The project uses the fibres of the iconic native harakeke (flax bush) as a metaphor to weave together tangata whenua, environmental management, biodiversity and culture, underpinned by the traditional Maori value of kaitiakitanga (guardianship). The study focuses on Lake Whakaki and surrounding wetlands in northern Hawkes Bay that is considered of national importance

Author

• Huia Tomlins Jahnke, Massey University