Success story

Maniapoto Cultural Assessment Framework Wānanga

MMTB launched the Mauri o Waiwaia project to help guide the whānau and hapū of Te Kotahitanga marae, Kahotea marae, Te Wharekura o Maniapoto, and Te Maara Kai Roopu o Te Kūiti, who actively monitor their awa (river) and maunga (mountain) to ensure they are healthy and safe for their people. After pausing due to COVID-19, the Trust revived the project, seeking A2E’s expert help to re-inspire kaitiaki (guardians) in their area (rohe).

NIWA’s support was specifically requested to re-introduce various tools and equipment for freshwater health monitoring. The Trust also sought NIWA’s expertise on the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) and freshwater bylaws to enhance the involvement of mana whenua in monitoring their rivers.

Te Nehenehenui wanted to achieve this through a series of wānanga to Ngāti Maniapoto whānau, to encourage them to reconnect with freshwater as kaitiaki. The wānanga were designed to reinforce Te Mauri o Waiwaia: Maniapoto Cultural Assessment Framework, building whānau capacity and capability for freshwater monitoring. This also enables hapū to assess the state of their awa according to their own freshwater values and perspectives.

The wānanga had a focus on freshwater management tools, as well as methods to assess water quality for a range of purposes, like swimming, tuna (eel) fishing, and determining appropriateness as a source of drinking water, and mahinga kai.

Through A2E, Ngahuia Ariana-Herangi and Tekiteora Rolleston-Gabriel (NIWA) provided their expert advice.

Ngahuia and Tekiteora planned the delivery of four wānanga. These were structured to outline Te Mauri o Waiwaia and tools – like the freshwater Stream Health Monitoring Assessment Kit (SHMAK) – for data collection, and how these build whānau capacity and capability with freshwater monitoring. This was also an opportunity to showcase tools and data collection as complementary to a wealth of whānau cultural knowledge.

The wānanga series covered a range of topics:

• Wānanga One: introducing Te Mauri o Waiwaia, using the freshwater SHMAK, survey forms, tuna (eel) monitoring approaches and health and safety best practice.
• Wānanga Two: monitoring approaches for tuna, survey forms and health and safety best practice.
• Wānanga Three: reinforcing tuna monitoring approaches, survey forms and health and safety best practice.
• Wānanga Four: series wrap up around the importance of data collection, and approaches for data storage, management and analysis relating to Te Mauri o Waiwaia.

A key theme across all wānanga was to enhance whānau understanding of the NPS-FM, Te Mana o Te Wai, and applying Te Mauri o Waiwaia framework tools.

At the conclusion of the series, surveys were conducted with whānau to understand the impact of the wānanga on their knowledge of freshwater monitoring.

Ngāti Maniapoto whānau now have an increased understanding of Te Mauri o Waiwaia framework, and how the tools within this complement their existing cultural knowledge. Tama Blackburn (Te Nehenehenehui - Taiao Project Manager) is pleased with A2E’s support and the benefits this has for iwi.

“Mana whenua that were part of the project’s revival are now extremely motivated and inspired to continue monitoring their waterways, with the knowledge and understanding around policy and how to put this into practice.

“We would love to use A2E again to further enhance Maniapoto iwi knowledge and skills,” says Tama.

Rangatahi members of the NIWA team also left younger whānau members feeling inspired to potentially pursue their own careers in the natural sciences and increase taiao experts of Maniapoto.

Expert Ngahuia Ariana Herangi is also complimentary of A2E and their role supporting iwi and hapū address their freshwater management aspirations.

“It is great to know that A2E is there to support iwi and hapū to activate in terms of addressing their freshwater management needs and aspirations,” says Ngahuia.

Image: whānau from Te Kotahitanga marae, Kahotea Marae, and Te Maara Kai Roopu o Te Kūit (Tangata Tiaki o Te Mauri o Waiwaia).