4 Māori Values
During the consultation hui, Māori generally acknowledged government’s attempt to address climate change issues. This was supported by statements such as:
I am pleased we are taking these steps. People of Aunty Kath’s generation have always said ‘don’t pollute the waterways, don’t pollute the environment’ and now, people are finally listening to what many Māori have been saying for many years.
But some expressed the need to put this in the context of a broader and well articulated sustainable development framework. It was thought that this framework should encompass the various climate change work programmes as well as environmental management initiatives such as the Sustainable Water Programme of Action (SWPoA) etc.
Government’s goal resonated with the kaitiakitanga3 role Māori have in relation to the environment and its wellbeing. However, concern was expressed by Māori about the lack of recognition in government’s proposals of hapū and iwi who protect their indigenous or exotic forests under the concept of kaitiakitanga, and therefore who protect the environment by absorbing carbon.
Concerns regarding Papatūānuku4 were also expressed and further queries were made as to what environmental outcomes were being sought. Some asked, “Where is the environment in this?”
From an environmental and spiritual perspective, Māori indicated that they see the world as a unified whole, where all elements, including tangata whenua, are connected through whakapapa5.
Emphasis is placed on maintaining the balance or utu6 of cultural and spiritual values in the environment, while using resources for social and commercial purposes. The changes brought on by a global warming as a result of greenhouse gas emissions directly affect this balance.
Several attendees talked of how “we are” the environment and the fact that Māori “live this”. Environmentalism is part of Māori culture and Māori cannot pollute the land – it is Papatūānuku.
In general, it was felt that there was a lack of cultural and Treaty context in the five documents for discussion and that this needs a lot more attention. It was felt that government could make much better use of Māori knowledge and the kaitiakitanga role to affect positive environmental outcomes.
Further suggestions were made regarding the need for a quadruple bottom line approach, whereby cultural measures would be included alongside social, economic and environmental measures.
There was a clear commitment from Māori to address climate change. Many agreed that the responsibility lies with us all, and suggested we need to look at how we protect this world for generations to come.
3 Guardianship.
4 Earth mother.
5 Lineage, genealogy.
6 Concerned with the maintenance of relationships and balance within Māori ‘society’.
