Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rotoiti find themselves a new toy in their backyard as specialist divers lay Uwhi in Lake Rotomā to monitor its effect on weed growth, water quality, native fauna and kōura revitalisation.
Rotoiti primary students accompanied their principal Para Meha to learn about Uwhi and how it is being used to help protect taonga species.
“The weed is running rampant in our lake killing off our koura and kākāhi so they’ll learn ‘tiaki i te taiao’ and our reo…but the main thing is to support ngā mahi ā te iwi’
“We’ve got to take the best of both worlds, mātauranga Māori and western knowledge and combine the two so we get the best for our resources.”
Uwhi are Harakeke weed mats and are a combination of tupuna knowledge, traditional Māori art and craft with science to foster better outcomes for the environment.
“They are from here, they grew up here and they want to look after their taonga which is our lake and everything in the lake bed so it’s about learning and understanding to look after our ‘taonga tuku iho’.
The kaupapa is led by Te Arawa Lakes Trust, with support from Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand through the Jobs for Nature programme.
Glossary:
Tiaki i te taiao – Protecting the environment
Ngā mahi ā te iwi – Our tribe’s legacy
Taonga tuku iho – Transmission of Māori knowledge
More stories
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2202/S00456/uwhi-trial-healing-more-than-just-rotorua-te-arawa-lakes.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR24JH67smM
https://www.teaomaori.news/matauranga-maori-and-science-saving-taonga-species