Even though cultural landscapes are environments where humans have transformed natural areas and where natural settings have shaped people's way of life, combined, adverse influences over time have altered the environmental integrity of Kuku. Little of the region's natural environment has been left unaffected. The region suffered decades of accumulated effluent pollution into surface and subsurface waterways. People were disassociated with cultural areas through lack of interaction with resources leading to loss of knowledge. There were impacts on known cultural and spiritual grounds and upon other cultural markers. Despite a range of close relationships and associations that had accrued between peoples; land holdings, freshwater, marine and forest resources over generations, cultural landscape protection plans or active restoration projects became mana whenua assertions of genealogical jurisdiction over land, waterways and resources.78 Environmental principles underpinned cultural landscapes and openly encouraged inter-relationships between peoples, interactions with ancestral lands, wahi tapu, water, seas, rivers, estuaries, air, minerals, energy, coasts, indigenous biodiversity, mahinga kai, mahinga mataitai and weaving resources. However as diverse pressures increased for the region, these inter relationships required bolstering. Far more robust and actual protection mechanisms had to
76 Mr Peter Seymour on behalf of his family Pat Seymour, Eunice Seymour, Irma Baily (nee Seymour), William Seymour, R. Seymour and Maire Johns (nee Seymour) objecting to the pollution of the Kuku Stream, November 1974. Information sourced from a file held by Mrs Mary Karauti (2004) on the Submission in support and in opposition to the Application for Discharge Right 7#39 (into the Kuku Stream).
77 Mr James L.G.W Poutama objected to the submission to keep discharging pollutants into the Kuku Stream. Information sourced from a file held by Mrs Mary Karauti (2004) on the Submission in support and in opposition to the Application.for Discharge Right 74!J9 (into the Kuku Stream).
78 Danny Kennan, 2004, "Bound to land: M aori retention and assertion of land and identity" in Pawson, E. & Brooking, T.,(eds.)
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be devised for ecologically and culturally sensitive areas. By reinforcing knowledge around tribal lands and waterways, peoples' collective fortitude combined to arrest any further ecological and cultural damage to the region. The braided cultural landscape concept drew upon recollections of others in the district to reclaim further understandings about lands, sites and waterway health, disconnected or rendered invisible by council-inspired projects for agricultural management.
The aim was to devise models that re-emphasised inter-linkages between linguistic, cultural and biological diversity, and to then catalyse necessary activities for reinstating mauri or vitality to valued ecosystems.79 The model responded to the late twentieth century or twenty-first century consequences of human demands on the global environment. Principles behind indigenous language or cultural revitalisation were directly related to the aims of improving environmental futures where bio-cultural diversity became a local ideal for Kuku. What remained of local knowledge around fragmented natural ecosystems had to be consolidated.80 At times Tahamata farming activities belied the need to balance environmental health with cultural or spiritual integrity in lands and waterways. Certain farming activities interfered with remaining natural integrity, sites of significance therefore tribal histories, and generational associations to lands and waterways, so that fundamental relationships were jeopardised. All ensuing activities aimed to rebuild once important relationships between local peoples, with regional biodiversity and the cultural integrity embedded within a distinct ecological area. The bio-cultural diversity concept clearly highlighted how sustainable farming developments could be articulated for the benefit of Tahamata farm and shareholders within the Kuku coastal area, not only to create local solutions to environmental problems but also to align the projects with wider, global environmental goalS.81
The biggest single source of pressure on the health of New Zealand water and waterways had been the removal of riparian forests from the mountains to the coastal plain in order to create farmland.82 Decades of clearing, realigning waterways and draining contiguous swamp lands adversely affected all water bodies in the region, including the hydrology and
79 B.James, 1993, Yhe Mctori Relationship with the Environment, Department of Conservation. Publication No. WRC/PP-G-93h9,
5. Mauri is the vital life principle as present in all objects, both animate and inanimate.
80 This was emphasised in Te Whakaruruhau programme conducted at Patumakuku, through on site survey studies conducted at Wehipeihana Bush and hands-on nursery, propagation and re-potting of tree stock for restoration projects at the Tikorangi Nursery. Wehipeihana Forest is a remnant stand on an inland river terrace overlooking Kuku Beach Road. It has been used as an instruction project for place-based learning in indigenous biodiversity surveys for remnant flora and fauna, and animal pest and pest weed control and monitoring. Tikorangi native tree nUIsery operation was established in October 2005. It has become an invaluable enterprise comprising entrance gardens encircling a car park region, a substantial potting shed, propagating units, hot houses and expansive holding areas for trees. See Chapter 6 Case studies for more details of these developments.
81 Adgar, N., [et all, 2003, Sharing a World of Difference: the earths linguistic, cultural and biological diversity, UNESCO, Terralingua, World Wide rtmd for Nature United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Operation, Paris.
82 Ministry for the Environment Manam Mo Te Taiao, 2000, Managing Waterways on Farms: A guide to sustainable water and riparian management in rural New Zealand, Draft document, Wellington, 15.
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hydroecology of the coastal plain at Kuku. By mechanically interfering with waterways, modifying their margins or by reducing the size of wetlands, important waterways became less favourable for freshwater fishes and invertebrates. Shallow ground waters around the dune wetlands continued to receive increased levels of nitrogen. This control over the natural environment also destroyed Maori areas of cultural importance along the river. River engineering diverted and channelled flood water and accelerated the decline of the Ohau River meander into a captured, nitrified and polluted lagoon. Accumulated impacts exacerbated the loss ofbiodiversity, destroyed natural integrity and its regenerative capacities. The high levels of sediment, nutrients and faecal material that flowed into the coastal area from the wider agricultural catchment decreased water clarity, increased nutrient content, and worsened the loss of necessary plant, food sources83 as well as fish stocks at the coast.
In recognising
all
these impacts and ongoing ecosystem damage, a renewed awarenessto environmental decline led kaitiaki to urgently harness the potential that remained in local knowledge of past interactions, in kaumatua memories and experiences. In drawing fragmentary reminiscences together, upon tribal narratives, environmental, cultural, spiritual and linguistic interrelationships were re-emphasised for participants taking part in understanding their tribal place better. Kaitiaki revalued their genealogical relationships to lands, waterways and cultural signifiers. They felt compelled to mitigate decline within the Kuku coastal landscape. They re-enhanced their relationships with what had persistently been revered as a natural and cultural base for hapu and iwi at the coast. In transforming attitude and aptitude towards environmental sustain ability, regional policies and practices also coincidentally changed to make sustainable water and riparian or waterways management on farms, a commonplace practice in rural New Zealand. In exploring the site-specifics of place as central to understanding cultural landscape, local kaitiaki, Tahamata Incorporation, shareholders and long term residents re-edified knowledge of place to harness the principles of sustainable management in order to urgently improve environmental conditions for future generations.84 Initiatives such as riparian planting along waterways and wetlands not only aimed to provide shelter for stock and habitat for birds and insects, but also to improve water quality for fish and invertebrates and related surface and subsurface waterways. By rebuilding relationships within the tribal group, between the tribe and other residents, and between past and present landowners and local authorities, mutual respect for place enabled movement towards resolving environmental problems facing the area.
83 ibid, I5·
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