Global news: Wisdom of elders used to manage environments

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The University of Waikato is tapping into the wisdom of elders to help uncover the relationships that Maori had with the environment.

Through the use of whakatuaki (ancestral sayings) and traditional Maori ecological knowledge, linguist Dr Hemi Whaanga and ecologist Dr Priscilla Wehi hope to draw on the expertise of Maori elders to further the field of environmental management. Their work is funded by a Marsden Fund Fast-Start grant and is one of six Marsden projects for which the University of Waikato has won funding.

"Many whakatauki carry conservation messages," says Dr Whaanga. "For example, there are a number of sayings about the loss and extinction of the moa, which happened in the mid 15th century. For Maori, when we lose a species we don't talk about it in a Western way. There's no sense of separation from our genealogy. They are embedded in our whakapapa, so it's like losing a member of your family. So these whakatauki have become a metaphor for significant loss as in the case of te reo Maori."

Dr Whaanga and Dr Wehi respond to Element

How is the project aspiring to use the wisdom of elders to improve environmental management systems.

Since Maori arrival in Aotearoa, Maori have, of necessity, had a very close relationship with the environment. This includes many animal and plants species. There are many ancestral sayings that make observations on the environment. We want to examine these observations in greater depth with the elders.

What kind of clues/information can whakatauki provide?

We are going to use techniques from linguistics and phylogenetics based on evolutionary trees to analyse the ancestral sayings. For example, there are many ancestral sayings about moa. Some are about its ecology, and some lament the loss of the moa. Nowadays the loss of the moa is a very powerful metaphor for the loss of the Maori language. So we are looking at all the different links between language and meaning in these ancestral sayings. Through discussion with elders and other experts we will be able to understand the deeper meanings of these ancestral sayings that have been passed on through time.

What does the project aim to achieve?

We have a wonderful team of experts from within Aotearoa and overseas including linguists, and a computational biologist, who have committed to this project. Many elders from around Aotearoa have also generously offered to participate. Together, we aim to investigate the contribution that M?ori ancestral sayings can make to contemporary issues associated with language and cultural sustainability. Research shows that the preservation of language and biological diversity are linked. We think the ancestral sayings will offer insight into how we can maintain cultural and biological diversity in Aotearoa.

What inspired you to work with elders for this project?

Because we have a strong oral tradition, our elders are an amazing taonga (treasure). They hold many stories and observations of the environment that illuminate our ancestral sayings. In our contemporary world, there is a danger that we could overlook important information and ideas about the environment held in our communities.

Are their good systems in place for elders to pass down their traditional knowledge, and if not how can this passing on of knowledge be encouraged?

Many iwi now hold tribal hui to ensure that this knowledge is shared among different generations. However, many elders are still dying without their stories being passed down and recorded. Funding to assist with the ongoing revitalisation of the M?ori language and culture is essential to ensure that the wisdom of the elders is not lost for future generations.