Maori ideology and identity comes from the
natural environment – participants not owners
How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land. If you do not
own the freshness of air and the sparkle of water how can you buy them
- Chief Seattle (January 1855)
Ngauruhoe – marks the stand of Ngatoro i Rangi
Titi – Puffinis griseus
Titi – Pacific migration routes
Ancient invertebrate fauna
Isolated vertebrate fauna
Scallop (Pectin novaezelandiae) from
sub-tidal sandy shore c.25 Ka Bp
Terraced sequences, Rimutaka Range, Wellington.
Wave cut platforms from last (70-150 K) and
penultimate (250-300 K) interglacial periods
The record of recent climate changes
El Nino/La Nina – the southern
oscillation
Shifts in SO index
NIWA climate predictions- for regional
Bay of Plenty
We know of the approaching storm – its part of our daily lives
The river and its wetland – flooding is a natural event
Despite protective engineering for a 1:100 yr flood
recurrent storm cycles have given a recent reminder
of the once extensive Rangitaiki River wetland
The rolling of boulders – flooding at Matata
April 2004 and May 2005
Flooding brings instant change to wetland
Matata wetland May 2005 and June 2005
The onus for floodwater removal ignores most other
resources – like valuable soils
Channel systems and point discharge of stormwater has no
regard for water velocity changes or its effect on the transport
and re-deposition of suspension loads
Ngati Pukeko Marae, Whakatane
A mark of cultural identity, the focal point of community
Karearea- screams on a wet day – it’s
fine the next day
Pukeko - run to higher ground before
the flood
Ruru – shrill cries of more than one,
rain follows
Pohutukawa - early flowering signals a
long hot summer
Ti Kouka – profuse flowering indicates
a long hot summer
Matariki- signals the new year
Kakahoroa reserve – site of paru a fine
carbonaceous mud
Kokopu –freshwater food resource
Tuna-a food
source and the
guardian of
freshwater
and wetlands
Traditional root crops – survivors of
Pacific introductions
Kumara – Ipomea bata
Taro – Colocasia esculenta
A whakapapa for Kumara and Taro - it signifies cultural
ownership of a resource
What expectations do we hold for our mokopuna
Shantelle & Waimirirangi