Dr Adele Whyte: Challenging the status quo

Dr Adele Whyte

Maori values and aspirations are often put into a "cultural box" and some people and organisations narrowly view Maori culture as te reo (our language) and tikanga (customs and traditions, eg, pohiri, tangihanga and so on).

However, "Maori culture" has a long history of innovation and entrepreneurship, and spans economic, cultural, social and environmental parameters. This means Maori are in a unique position to truly advocate for and find solutions that promote "balance" between the aspirations of different sectors, eg, farmers, irrigators, commercial fishers, recreational fishers, environmentalists and everyday people, as we are represented in all of those sectors.

The practices of the past 100 years have been devastating for our country and indeed the world. The current climate summit in Paris, and widening of the disparities between rich and poor are two such examples. We need to look at least seven generations or 1000 years ahead and aim to leave a world in a better place than that we currently enjoy.

I want our tamariki and mokopuna (children and great grandchildren) to be able to swim in our rivers and fish in our oceans, enjoy clean, free drinking water, have a great job and enjoy economic prosperity.

I want this for our people, our wider communities and our country.
We can't continue to ignore the effects of our unsustainable practices. I'm not just talking about natural resources here.

I'm talking about our greatest treasure and resource - our people. We must grow and nurture them to thrive and the time to act is now. We must be bold and develop a plan so that Aotearoa/New Zealand can take a lead in this space. We've got the number 8 wire mentality. We've got an abundance of resources and talent.

But we've all got to work together to make a change in our current trajectory, in our region, in Aotearoa/New Zealand and in the world. This is a call to leadership within Hawke's Bay and the wider Kahungunu rohe. The time for talk is over, we need to change and challenge the status quo and truly collaborate in all spheres.

* Dr Adele Whyte is the chief executive officer for Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated.