Māori have a special relationship with water in all its forms – it is taonga.
Water is a taonga to Māori. The health of iwi is considered to be closely linked with the health of their local water. Explore some of the values and connections between iwi, wai and awa and the work of Waikato Māori to look after their taonga.
To use this interactive, move your mouse or finger over any of the labelled boxes and click to obtain more information.
Background image of fern against Waikato Awa, Sebastian Vervenne, 123RF Ltd
Transcript
Wai ora
Water is the basis for all life. It is taonga, something to be cherished and looked after. For Māori, wai holds mauri – a spiritual life force. To keep the mauri intact, we need to look after the water. Māori have classifications for wai that describe its qualities, properties and uses.
The following resources provide information about wai, its mauri and the different ways Māori use and classify wai. The videos highlight the special connections between tangata whenua and their local awa.
- Te mana o te awa – article
- Whakatauki – article
- Ngā karangatanga matua mō te wai māori me ngā ika wai māori – article
- Māori Views of the Waikato River – PDF
- Wai words – activity
- Importance of water for Ngāti Hauā – video
- Awa and iwi – video
- Hekeiterangi Broadhurst – video
- Hoturoa Kerr – video
- Karaitiana Ripaki-Tamatea – video
- Linda Te Aho – video
- Mamae Takerei – video
- Miriama (Tilly) Turner – video
- Rahui Papa – video
- Rangitiaho Mahuta – video
- Turanga Barclay-Kerr – video
- Wiremu Puke – video
Select here to view the video transcript and copyright information.
Acknowledgement: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato and Waikato Regional Council
Ki uta ki tai
Ki uta ki tai refers to the concept of mountains to the sea – a whole-systems approach to the sustainable management of water. The water catchment influences the biodiversity and ecology of stream and river systems.
The following resources explore what water catchments are and why they are important.
- Awa and iwi – video
- Water catchments – article
- Water flows and catchments – interactive
- Learning about your catchment – video
- Mapping my local water catchment – activity
- Build a model water catchment – activity
Select here to view the video transcript and copyright information.
Acknowledgement: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato and Waikato Regional Council
Mahinga kai
Mahinga kai refers to traditional food sources. Local water bodies were sources of kaiawa such as tuna, īnanga, kōura and pūhā. Maintaining or restoring water quality is crucial for the provision and harvest of mahinga kai.
The following resources have more information about mahinga kai.
- Waikato River ecology and biodiversity – article
- Whitebaiting – article
- Mahinga kai – article
- Mahinga kai – natural resources that sustain life – use this interactive to explore food and resource-gathering traditions practised by Ngāi Tahu whānau in Te Waipounamu.
- Importance of water for Ngāti Hauā – video
These resources have information about ngā ika taketake wai māori – Aotearoa New Zealand’s freshwater fish, many of which are mahinga kai. New Zealand’s freshwater fish – introduction is an overview of the resources, with links to the resources in te reo Māori and English. Resources in te reo Māori are listed individually below.
- Ngā ika taketake wai māori o Aotearoa – article
- Ngā karangatanga matua mō te wai māori me ngā ika wai māori – article
- Te ika taketake i te tāone – article
- Ngā mahinga kōawa hei painga mō ngā ika – article
- Te whakamāherehere i ngā panonitanga – article
- Te whakatō otaota ki ngā tapa kōawa – article
- Āwhinahia ngā ika nei! – article
- He painga mō te pāmu, he painga mō te ika – interactive
Acknowledgement: Stella McQueen
Mātauranga Māori
Mātauranga Māori is a modern term for the combined knowledge of Polynesian ancestors and the experiences of Māori living in the environment of Aotearoa passed down through generations often in the form of waiata, stories, legends and tikanga. The term takes many forms, such as language (te reo), education and learning (mātauranga), traditional environmental knowledge (taonga tuku iho, mātauranga o te taiao), traditional knowledge of cultural practice, such as healing and medicines (rongoā), fishing (hī ika) and cultivation (mahinga kai).
Mātauranga Māori, as a knowledge base, adds significant understanding to water quality and restoration practices.
Learn more about mātauranga Māori with these resources:
- Mātauranga Māori and science – article
- Mātauranga Māori – that which is passed down – video
- Plants and whakapapa – video
- Mātauranga Māori – video
- Tipa Mahuta – video
- Mātauranga Māori – PLD webinar
- Mātauranga and the Living World – PLD webinar
Select here to view the video transcript and copyright information.
Acknowledgement: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato and Waikato Regional Council
Te mana o te wai
The Ministry for the Environment notes that the concept of te mana o te wai “reflects the recognition of fresh water as a natural resource whose health is integral to the social, cultural, economic and environmental well-being of communities”.
Iwi and hapū play an active part to improve water quality within their rohe and takiwā. These resources highlight some of the projects within the Waikato region along with activities that encourage students to think about river taonga, the past and the future.
- Ngāti Hauā Māori Trust – article
- Te whakatō otaota ki ngā tapa kōawa – article
- Planting stream edges – article
- Tuna – working with glass eels – article
- Whitebaiting – article
- Wetlands – the river’s kidneys – article
- River islands – article
- Model for identifying cultural indicators – article
- Wai Ora Wai Māori – a kaupapa Māori assessment tool – PDF report
- Saving taonga – activity
- Ake Ake – forever and ever – activity
- Mapping the future – activity
Select here to view the video transcript and copyright information.
Acknowledgement: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato and Waikato Regional Council
Acknowledgement
This interactive has been developed in partnership with the Waikato Regional Council as part of the Rivers and Us resource.
Useful link
See the articles in the New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 2018 Special Issue: Mātauranga Māori shaping marine and freshwater futures.
