Māori (Tangata Whenua) are a really good example of why it’s important to let indigenous people speak and lead in terms of environmental efforts and conservation. New Zealand has a system where the Department of Conservation is actively required to work within Treaty settlements - this includes transferring ownership of highly significant land back to it’s indigenous hapū (a “subtribe” in a region - this is a little debated as this is somewhat of an oversimplification, but works in this context), address indigenous interests and involve tangata whenua in management and other conservation plans. It should be noted that it really moves away from the concept of ownership of land, and instead to the concepts of authority and responsibility as the key to sustainability.
As a result, anyone who works or is interested in conservation/environmental work will tell you that a key focus is Kaitiakitanga. This is a fairly complex concept, but in simple terms it relates to guardianship and protection of the environment from the perspective of tangata whenua. Kaitiaki are guardians of specific local areas that are appointed by the appropriate iwi (the overarching tribe in a region). Kaitiakitanga also is included in multiple laws and legislation covering continued environmental protection efforts.
Traditional practices that we still see applied today can include:
Rāhui: a form of tapu, or rather a temporary spiritual prohibition on an area or resource that isn’t harvested when a rāhui is placed, or an area that is off limits until it is lifted.
Maramataka: a planting/harvesting lunar calender (Matariki is Māori new year that is widely celebrated, indicating the beginning of a new lunar year).
Mana: Mana is spiritual power, and comes under most different aspects of life. In terms of the environment, you want it to have mana - plentiful fruit, growth, wildlife, etc.
A well-known example of this continuing relationship is the Mount Maunganui Mātaitai reserve. Tauranga Moana advise the Ministry of Primary Industries how fishing in the reserve should be managed - commercial fishing in banned within much of the zone, however recreational and customary fishing is still allowed. This is particularly important in terms of customary fishing as this is a traditional and significant fishing ground. Changes can also be made at the discretion of the local Moana - for example, in the early 2000s, a prohibition was placed on taking green-lipped mussels as the population needed time to recover in order to remain sustainable.
The relationship still isn’t perfect, and there is still much work to be done in terms of Māori autonomy and sovereignty over their ancestral lands. However, this work has shown repeatedly that indigenous people know what is best for the land they come from and that their input is invaluable to caring for the environment.
