The project looked at traditional lands used by our tūpuna within the Ngā Wairiki-Ngāti Apa region. This project focused on 56km of coastal boundary of the rohe. The project gathered whakapapa kōrero for the area and worked with whānau to research traditional uses. The research project aimed to:

  • Research tāngata whenua knowledge;
  • Research ecological, archaeological, oral, and historical knowledge
  • Research understandings of kaitiakitanga in the current day

While there is an understanding of ‘our rohe’, there are multiple owners and interest within Ngā Wairiki-Ngāti Apa. Is kaitiakitanga able to be revived? And if so how is kaitiakitanga defined by our whānau, hapū and iwi? The walkway was used historically by hapū, as pathways to mahinga kai (food-gathering) and pā sites
 

Wānanga with our whānau was conducted, beginning at Kauangaroa Marae and ending at Mangamāhu. We began with kōrero about significant sites around Kauangaroa then moved into the Mangamāhu area where Chris Shenton, an iwi researcher for Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Apa, shared his knowledge of the site.

 

Educational resources that were created from the findings include:

  • Whitiahua (film) – Interviewing knowledgeable people, visiting/filming the site, how to research the information and displays the importance of our waiata tawhito and how much kōrero is held within them; and
  • Pukapuka (booklet) – Follows the theme of the film, utilising written and pictorial research methods.

 

Research outputs:

Kaitiakitanga Tuatahi film

Thoughts from Whanganui Māori regarding kaitiaki and their role in traditional and modern times.

 

Kaitiakitanga Tuarua film

Thoughts from Whanganui Maori regarding kaitiaki and their role in traditional and modern times.