Tirohia he Huarahi : Plans, Power and Partnerships
Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai's Marsden Research Project to re-vision planning and resource management theory for adaptive co-management of environment by indigenous people for cultural-ecological resilience.
Where communities have lived in a place for generations, they develop an in-depth understanding of the place, based primarily on their continued use and management of its resources. What happens when they are empowered to use this wisdom and knowledge in hands-on management of those resources? How can this empowerment be achieved? Our research examines these questions, focusing in particular on Māori participation in the management of mahinga kai (food gathering places). The research is driven, in part, by tangata whenua concerns about their inability to prevent continued despoliation of mahinga kai, and their desire to actively fulfil their kaitiakitanga responsibilities.
This 3-year Marsden funded research programme will look at the barriers to, and benefits that could arise from, active participation of tangata whenua in the management of mahinga kai. A basic premise of the research is that traditional Māori resource management techniques – including their continued evolution – have much to offer national resource management practices.
The research will include case studies where tangata whenua are already actively participating in the planning and management of mahinga kai, and others where this is minimal or non-existent. It will investigate different perspectives (e.g. hapū versus local councils) on what constitutes successful participation in resource management; and different views of the purpose of participation - for example, should participation produce a well-written plan; create positive relationships between hapū, community and government; result in more kai on the table? By bringing these different viewpoints to the fore, and working closely with tangata whenua, we hope to help develop ways to reduce the barriers to the inclusion of traditional techniques in today’s resource management regimes, and identify ways in which tangata whenua might benefit more from this.
The research team has a wide array of skills and knowledge. Rauru Kirikiri (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) will be our whakaruruhau (mentor) as we develop relationships with hapū in our case study areas, and start to forge links between indigenous knowledge and the social science approaches that the research team brings to the project. Jonathon Dick has a well-proven track record in working with communities in customary fisheries management, and will be managing much of the kanohi-ki-te-kanohi (face-to-face) interaction in the case study areas. Henrik Moller’s work with Rakiura Māori on the Kia Mau Te Tītī Mo Ake Tonu Atu (Keep the tītī forever) research programme has drawn acclaim both internationally and locally. His leadership, together with Janet Stephenson, drawing from her background in planning and working with iwi/hapū in resource management issues, will be crucial in the successful completion of this work.
One of the aims of the project is to grow the academic and research talent base of Māori. There will be a number of opportunites available in the project: a research assistant, 3 Masters students and one PhD student. Links will also be forged across the Pacific Ocean to Canada, where team members Fikret Berkes and Nancy Turner have developed international reputations for their work with First Nations Peoples in resource management. Exchange visits between Canada and Aotearoa in order to learn from one another, will be a feature of the project. For further information click here: Tirohia he Huarahi: Power, Plans & Partnerships
