Earth systems and climate change
A Māori perspective of the natural world recognises that non-human parts of the environment have mauri and are considered tūpuna and taonga with inherent rights, value and agency. These manifestations of parts of the environment into ancestral beings, deities or atua are prevalent in Māori cosmology and retold through pūrākau. The holistic and reciprocal connection between Māori and the natural world is formed through shared whakapapa. The creation and ongoing balance of the natural world is interconnected through this web of kinship, and responsibility to care is reflected in pūrākau where these relationships shape connection to the environment.
The whakapapa of space
The whakapapa in Māori cosmology is retold through origin stories showing connections of mankind to the celestial realms. The connection shown here is from Tūhoe.
Background night sky image, Mike Watts, CC BY-SA 2.0
Ngā tohu o te taiao
Māori developed a detailed knowledge of biophysical indicators or tohu by observing and interacting closely with their local environments. The developed tohu are location-specific cultural and environmental indicators of the natural world. The use of tohu is based on connection through whakapapa, and the intertwined past and future of te ao Māori allows tohu to be used by kaitiaki or local practitioners to signal, monitor and forecast trends in the state or health of te taiao and taonga species over time.
Tohu are supported through ancestral memories and passed down through kōrero tuku iho, karakia, pūrākau, whakataukī and waiata. The waiata Tīhore mai te rangi by Hirini Melbourne is asking Tāwhirimātea to stop the rain, clear the dark clouds and let the sunshine in and contains a warning about the consequences of failing to prepare and seek shelter. Many Māori traditions of monitoring weather patterns and extreme events through oral communication are thought to provide records and warn of dangers.
Tohu are a fundamental expression of kaitiakitanga or active guardianship and are based on survival and recognising that, to survive, one must pay attention to the natural signs and signals thoughtfully so as to manage the future of our mahinga kai and ourselves.
Climate or atmospheric tohu
Māori developed detailed knowledge of tohu that enabled them to monitor and forecast trends in the health of the taiao and taonga species.
Climate or atmospheric tohu can be divided into four categories: tātai arorangi (celestial phenomena), huarere (weather), āhuarangi (climate) and wāhanga-o-te-tau (seasonal changes).
Maramataka
For centuries, climate shaped and informed maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), where marae were established and where and when kai was collected. The maramataka helps to monitor seasonal changes, weather and migratory patterns of birds and fish as well as enabling the accurate tracking of rituals and other important matters. Many hapū and iwi have developed their own rohe-specific maramataka through centuries of detailed observations as a predictive tool for scheduling activities critical to the continued success of hapū and iwi such as fishing, gathering kaimoana and planting and harvesting food.
Maramataka – the Māori calendar
The lunar calendar is used for observing changes to te taiao.
Illustration by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, from Listening to the Land, 2018 Level 3 Connected journal Cracking the Code published by the Ministry of Education, New Zealand.
Ahurea tuakiri and whakapapa are positioned geographically and will be affected by the impacts of climate change. Climate impacts such as sea-level rise will displace Māori from tūrangawaewae, which will disrupt the rohe-specific transmission of te reo Māori and tikanga. As iwi, whānau and hapū are forced to relocate from their tūrangawaewae, opportunities to activate kaitiakitanga and actively manage resources and important sites will diminish. To maintain intergenerational mātauranga and tikanga practices, many Māori will have to adapt and plan the relocation of marae or culturally significant sites such as urupā.
Related content
Investigate more mātauranga Māori of tohu o te taiao – biophysical indicators of weather and climate.
This article explores the maramataka in greater detail.
Read about why climate change matters to Māori in this article.
Meet kairangahau Māori Milly Grant-Mackie. Milly is interested in sea-level rise using methodologies guided by kaupapa Māori and science.
Watch this video to learn more about Māori cosmological origins about connection to the whenua.
Acknowledgement
This māramatanga Māori article has been produced alongside the resource Earth systems and climate change, a collaboration with the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ. © Crown copyright.
