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Literature Review on Engineering and Te Ao Māori

Introduction

Centuries ago, Māori arrived in Aotearoa, bringing a wealth of practices and values that
dynamically evolved. However, the colonisation of Pākehā has had adverse effects on the cultural
aspirations of the tangata whenua (Fa’aui, 2014; Mutu, 2018).
This literature review will discuss the core elements of Te Ao Māori, specifically kaitiakitanga and
mana, and the importance of their integration with present and future engineering developments. This
study will explore the ways of achieving amalgamation of opposing cultural worldviews, the potentially
beneficial influences, and the crucial implications this will have on New Zealand’s future.

Discussion: Kaitiakitanga

One of the values fundamental to Te Ao Māori is the concept of kaitiakitanga (Bargh, 2012; Dell et
al., 2018; Fa’aui & Morgan, 2014). Both Bargh (2012) and Fa’aui and Morgan (2014) acknowledge
this traditional responsibility of enhancing and protecting mauri as a core aspiration of the tangata
whenua. Due to this, any drastic environmental changes will have significant impacts on Māori. Key
examples are the repercussions experienced by the Maori from the grounding of the MV Rena as well
as the inconsiderate recovery operations. This includes cultural pain from the damage of wāhi tapu
and sacred reefs (Fa’aui & Morgan, 2014).
Thus, it is crucial to recognise the cultural importance of kaitiakitanga when planning and
developing new engineering projects in New Zealand. Additionally, decision making based on a purely
Western scientific perspective neglects the important metaphysical aspects and fails to integrate hapū
involvement and their culturally relevant knowledge (Fa’aui & Morgan, 2014). Hikuroa (2016) expands
on this by outlining the inappropriate, yet common dismissal of mātauranga Māori as myths. He
explains the necessity to understand the contextualisation within a Māori worldview, the inclusion of
culture and values, and the codification of methodically verified knowledge using pūrākau and
maramataka. Incorporating mātauranga Māori into engineering applications is hence vital in
considering all impacts of projects on mauri (Fa’aui & Morgan, 2014), an aspect Hikuroa (2016) lacked
in discussing.
Although Fa’aui and Morgan (2014) lack in demonstrations of the practical applications of
kaitiakitanga in the Māori community, Bargh (2012) explores this aspect in her examination of Māori
enterprises involved in geothermal energy production. She highlights their unique business approach:
a heavier focus on long-term sustainability and treasuring of natural resources in addition to the
conventional goals for economic advancement. An example of this is Tuaropaki Power Company’s
use of a worm farm to consume horticultural waste, and the distribution of the produced fertiliser over
Tuaropaki lands to replenish soil nutrients (Bargh, 2012). Hence, it is evident that acknowledgement of
kaitiakitanga in engineering decisions adds many essential dimensions; the balance of environment
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guardianship and the people’s needs is an important consideration not necessarily included in
conventional Western entrepreneurial aspirations.
For New Zealand’s contemporary post-colonisation context, conflicting cultural values between
Māori and Pākehā gives rise to complexities in decision-making approaches. There are multiple ways
to accommodate the different stakeholder worldviews: Bargh (2012) suggests the use of ethical
coordinates (mana, utu, kaitiakitanga, and whakapapa) and Fa’aui and Morgan (2014) proposes the
use of the Mauri Model. Both methods involve the crucial understanding of kaitiakitanga
responsibilities of the Māori and are not mutually exclusive. However, ethical coordinates (Bargh,
2012) provide deeper insight into the complexities and integration of Māori values into their
enterprises, whereas the Mauri Model (Fa’aui & Morgan, 2014) creates a more practical decision-
making framework to accommodate contrasting worldviews.

Discussion: Mana

Mana is another core aspect of Te Ao Māori. Both Bargh (2012) and Dell et al. (2018) elucidate the
important values associated with mana and its implementation in the Māori community. As one’s
mana is enhanced by dignified human behaviour, respectful to both people and the natural
environment (Bargh, 2012; Dell et al., 2018), it follows that Māori economy centers around a holistic
approach where economic development is inextricable from cultural, social, environmental aspects
(Dell et al., 2018).
On the contrary, Mutu (2018) focusses on the traumatic impacts on the Māori of the New Zealand
government’s disregard for their mana. She describes how, for over 170 years, the New Zealand
government’s pursuit of securing White supremacy has led to breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, a
founding document that acknowledges the mana and sovereignty of the Māori. Countless human
rights violations and discriminatory acts include confiscation of land and resources, unjust
settlements, negative stigmatisation and disregard of Māori culture, and inequitable opportunities.
These atrocities have led to burdens from poor socio-economic outcomes, deep trauma and
resentment among the Māori (Mutu, 2018).
However, although Mutu (2018) recognises the necessity for constitutional reform to restore Māori
mana, specific practical steps to achieve this are yet to be fully explored. An important application
would be in engineering contexts; Mutu’s illustration of the detrimental impacts highlights New
Zealand’s obligations to acknowledge the Māori mana in any engineering developments, as an act of
respect and reconciliation with Māori. In addition to obligations, Dell et al. (2018) emphasises the
benefits of incorporating Te Ao Māori perspectives lacking in mainstream models of New Zealand
businesses. This includes long-term intergenerational outlook, economic aspirations based on wealth
distribution rather than accumulation, and the development of layers of relational interactions instead
of isolated transactions.
Dell et al. propose the active involvement of Māori people in redefining future economic visions
based on Te Ao Māori through project design sessions and workshops – a practice that can be
applied on a smaller scale to engineering visions.
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Conclusion

Evidently, the values associated with kaitiakitanga and mana have heavy influences on the structure
of the Māori community. However, the neglect of Māori perspectives and aspirations is a recurring trait
of decisions formed by the New Zealand government, and it is essential that these actions are revised
– both as a respectful obligation and a benefit from diversifying considerations. Further exploration of
practical steps to integrate Te Ao Māori perspectives into engineering developments is required in
order to encompass all vital factors in decision-making, to establish harmonious relationships between
people of all worldviews, and create a sustainable future for Aotearoa.

Glossary
Aotearoa Māori name given to the land that was renamed New Zealand by
settlers

hapū sub-tribe; social units that share a common ancestor

kaitiakitanga enhancing the mauri of all things; the obligation of stewardship and
protection of the environment

mana a potent human state with the profound ability to impact upon, affect
and transform the lives of others

maramataka a calendar that divides the Māori year into lunar months
mauri a life force present in all things (Hikuroa, 2016)

mātauranga Māori traditional Māori knowledge 


Pākehā Māori-language term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent

pūrākau a traditional form of Māori narrative, containing philosophical thought,

epistemological constructs, cultural codes and world views (Hikuroa,
2016)

tangata whenua indigenous peoples of Aotearoa

Te Ao Māori a Māori worldview

wāhi tapu culturally important site

References

Bargh, M. (2012). Rethinking and re-shaping indigenous economies: Māori geothermal energy
enterprises. Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy,
6(3), 271–283. https://doi.org/10.1108/17506201211258423
Dell, K., Staniland, N., Nicholson, A. (2018). An Economy of Mana: Where to Next? Mai Journal, 7(1),
51–65. https://doi.org/10.20507/MAIJournal.2018.7.1.5
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Fa’aui, T., Morgan, K. (2014). Restoring The Mauri to the Pre-MV Rena State. Mai Journal, 3(1), 4–17.
http://www.journal.mai.ac.nz/sites/default/files/MAI_Jrnl_V3_Iss1_Faaui_0.pdf
Hikuroa, D. (2016). Mātauranga Māori – The ūkaipō of knowledge in New Zealand. Journal of the
Royal Society of New Zealand, 47(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1080/03036758.2016.1252407
Mutu, M. (2018). Behind the smoke and mirrors of the Treaty of Waitangi claims settlement process in
New Zealand: no prospect for justice and reconciliation for Māori without constitutional
transformation. Jour nal of Global Ethics, 14(2), 208–221. https://doi.org/
10.1080/17449626.2018.1507003