How Māori knowledge strengthens and expands freshwater monitoring

Restored wetland in Waituna Lagoon, Southland. Image credit: Dave Allen Photography

Protecting Aotearoa’s rivers and streams requires more than scientific data alone – it calls for community involvement and a monitoring approach that supports diverse ways of understanding the environment.

In the article Out of sync: Transforming environmental monitoring through Indigenous perspectives of time, published in Earth Stewardship, researchers Dr Joanne Clapcott, Arihia Hoani-Waaka, Dr Jane Kitson, Dr Mahina-a-rangi Baker, Roland Eveleens and Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University’s Dr Marc Tadaki discuss how weaving Māori knowledge into freshwater monitoring transforms how we care for waterways. They also highlight how Māori perspectives of time provide deeper insight into environmental change and stewardship.

“Rather than time being a universal metric, Te Ao Māori understands time as linkages between events, people and places,” says Dr Tadaki. “So, what we’re observing in the environment is governed by relationships among humans, flora, fauna and habitats. By adopting this view of time, we can more easily recognise when something in our environment is out of sync.”

Cultural monitoring builds on this relational view of time by being place-based, observing the unique qualities of rivers and streams, their mauri (life force) and the cultural practices tied to them. Dr Tadaki says monitoring can assess how waterways look, feel and smell, the presence of birds and fish, the effects of land use and the ability of iwi and hapū to gather mahinga kai (traditional foods) safely.

A central feature of cultural monitoring is the intergenerational sharing of knowledge. Elders pass on their observations to younger whānau, ensuring that cultural histories, practices and values continue into the future. Researchers describe this as folded time – where the past, present and future are woven together through a shared presence in place.

“Elders pass on their observations to younger generations, empowering them with knowledge and deepening their connection to land and water,” Dr Tadaki explains. “This intergenerational approach ensures cultural monitoring is both a method of data collection and a way of sustaining identity, belonging and collective responsibility for freshwater.”

Across Aotearoa, Māori are increasingly applying cultural monitoring frameworks, both independently and in partnership with researchers and councils. These observations provide valuable context for policy decisions, offering insights into a river system’s capacity to provide kai, its resilience and the underlying causes of decline.

Although cultural monitoring has been widely applied in resource management settings and freshwater policy, the current funding and reporting structures often tie monitoring projects to rigid milestones. This can clash with the flexible, relationship-driven nature of cultural monitoring, limiting the insights gathered from it. Researchers suggest that a shift to longer-term, more adaptable monitoring frameworks would lead to a deeper understanding of freshwater systems and enhance biocultural stewardship.

“Taking a long-term approach to monitoring our freshwater systems would also transform how they are managed, delivering valuable information needed to guide more effective decision-making and care for our waterways,” says Dr Tadaki.

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