No abstract

No abstract

How can waiata declare and perpetuate one's belonging to place, to türangawaewae? Waiata are commonly performed at pöwhiri following, and in support of, whaikörero. Within this context, place is central to waiata. Waiata's purpose is to complement the whaikörero, ultimately expressing identity and broaching responsibility for, and the significance of, place. The use of language through waiata articulates türangawaewae-a place to stand-and contextualises cultural identity. This paper investigates the significance of waiata in how the performance of song extrapolates türangawaewae, and consequently how waiata can evoke cultural identity and why this is important to place. Consideration of the deeper meanings of waiata through its ability to refer to place, and because of this its power to communicate the importance of place, are investigated using three select waiata.

No abstract

The connection between the natural environment and human health is well documented in Indigenous narratives. The maramataka—a Māori system of observing the relationships between signs, rhythms, and cycles in the environment—is underpinned by generations of Indigenous knowledge, observation, and experimentation. The maramataka enabled Māori and our Pacific relatives to attune with the movements of the environment and ensure activities essential for survival and well-being were conducted at the optimal times. A recent revival of the maramataka in various communities in New Zealand is providing uniquely Indigenous ways to ‘reconnect’ people, and their health, with the natural environment. In a world where people have become increasingly disconnected from the natural environment, the maramataka offers an alternative to dominant perspectives of health. It also provides a mechanism to enhance the many facets of health through an understanding of the human–ecosystem relationship in a uniquely Indigenous way. This conceptual paper (i) highlights a uniquely Indigenous way of understanding the environment (the maramataka) and its connection to health, (ii) discusses the connections between the maramataka and scientific research on health and the environment, and (iii) introduces current and potential applications of the maramataka in improving health and well-being.