3 ELEMENTOS QUE POTENCIAN O DIFICULTAN EL USO DE LOS MEDIOS Y DE LAS NUEVAS TECNOLOGÍAS DE LA
LOS MEDIOS DISPONIBLES:
to a knowledge of place. I n combination, they offer critical conceptual platforms on which
to create contemporary Maori approaches to environmental restoration that emphasise
and augment kaitiaki obligations to ancestral landscape. Customary interrelationships
95 The Lucas Associates report Kuku-Ohau Situation & Opportunties in the Lo'U)eT Rivfr: Prtiimillary Notes begun in August 1997and printed in 1998 outlined the problems for the lower reaches of the Ohau River. While Regional Council put in an improved culvert in 1999, the Council's main concern for the region was flooding so the replacement culvert did not allow for the required flushes of tidal waters into the 'loop' system. The bottom of the river remains lined with toxic sludge which will be difficult to remove as where can it be disposed of safely' I ntensive planting of dune stream land vegetation will eventually clear waterways but this will take a very long period of time. TIle water conditions were still very marginal but the riparian areas were finally fenced off from cows in 2005.
The issues are more immediate and require urgent attention, where significant project planning is required for extensive riparian planting.'Ihe tasks for this area were activated on 31 July 2006 with personnel and financial support by Tahamata Corporation, with a major planting of grasses, shrubs and trees.
96 Recent investigation would reveal that the current quality of water in the loop is made up of inorganic nitrogen, dissolved reactive phosphates, suspended solids, dissolved solids and in one particular site near the old bale, ammonium levels that supersede safe health levels.
Derived from notes taken at Group 7B EWE Consultancy Ltd presentation, 'River restoration and dairy farm management at Ohau Loop', lntegrative Studies 2006, Massey University, Palmerston North, 18 October 2006.
97 Since 1999 there have been only very few chance finds of peraro. Since starting the environmental work, Aunty Hummer Johns felt we must be doing something right as she found some in the area around the entrance to the Blind Creek in 2002. We retained the shells as evidence. See image of peraro Figure 2.6, Chapter 2.
9 6 H E I W H ENUA O RA
between the powers that existed between human beings and their natural realms were called upon to underpin active projects, rehabilitate fragmented ecosystems and e ase impacts on the human condition. Ancestors, kaumatua and resource users defined a set of resource management practices and protocols, which encouraged contemporary kaitiaki to collectively 'hold fast' to what remained of Kuku signifiers within remaining natural and cultural landscape. The extent of ecosystem decline in the region required kaitiaki to draw support from an embedded knowledge of place (albeit fragmented) and concentrate on taking action, not unlike how ancestors supported the aspirations of the Kingitanga movement at times of social, cultural, spiritual change, dis-ease and disruption. Any residual local knowledge that kaumatua retained about indigenous biodiversity had to be re-edified to benefit future generations.
In recent years, kaitiaki at Kuku have reinstated relationships to land and waterways as efforts to enhance or revitalise the local natural environment. All rehabilitation progammes have taken place in the context ofMaori lives experienced within a contemporary Maori society. Revitalisation programmes for ecosystems have been devised to be meaningful and relevant to the local Maori community responding to severe decline issues facing ancestral lands and waterways. Therefore, certain connections have been drawn between the themes and ideas present in customary knowledge in order to deal directly with the critical issues facing environmental degradation in the Kuku tribal area, and the environmental impacts also experienced within a wider human society. 98 Contemporary kaitiaki have been critically concerned with how once intricate relationships to cultural and natural areas could be restored and sustained for hapu, for their mana as authority, for tribal identity and for activities in the present, especially when only fragmented natural references exist within landscape.
The key themes and ideas gleaned from customary knowledge templates for relevant ecosystem restoration in Kuku emphasised the importance of interrelationships between related peoples and their land bases. Whakapapa reference systems offered the power of cohesiveness as derived from the concept of collective. By re-encouraging interdependencies between related peoples, this also acknowledged how active participants' intrinsic tapu, mana, integrity, authority and expertise was brought to the process of developing and organising projects. Aspirations for ecosystem rehabilitation focused on the positive themes derived from potential, creativity and the promise of greater human and biodiversity wellbeing. These aspirations were consequent upon reinstated forests and healthy wetlands. By combining efforts this also reinstated aspects of natural order to areas and began the process of rebalancing not only relationships between peoples of 98 Charles Te Ahukaramu Royal, 2004, Matauranga Maori and Museum Practice, Discussion paper prepared for National Services
C H A P T E R T H R E E
Figure 3.8: I n readiness for the Whanau Planting day, I3 August 2006.
Photograph by Huhana Smith, 2006
97
the collective, but with the environment and all living things. In enlivening ancestral narrative and ancestral experience in landscape, kaitiaki were reminded that they too were layering their contemporary experiences and associations to land and waterways, by taking responsibility to improve environmental conditions for inter-generational futures.