Mātauranga Māori and freshwater systems

In te ao Māori, the human and non-human worlds are indivisible. There are kinship relationships and therefore responsibilities towards natural features. A healthy mauri is a sign that the awa, roto or repo is expressing its mana or spiritual power. Freshwater systems act as reservoirs of te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori.

The following resources provide information about mātauranga associated with freshwater systems.

Articles

• Monitoring kōura

• Cultural indicators for repo

• Can mātauranga Māori help save New Zealand’s freshwater mussels?

• Ngāti Hauā Mahi Trust

• He reo nō te puehu – A voice from the dust

• Mahinga kai

Media

• Wai Māori – interactive

• Te whakamahi i ngā rauemi o Tuihonoa Te Reo o Te Repo hei whakarite ara whakaako – interactive

• Mātauranga Māori – that which is passed down – video

• Te ao Māori and repo – video

Activities

• Te mana o te wai

• Building a tau kōura

• Using He reo nō te puehu 

Image: Raupō (bulrush). Public domain.