Ko au te ngahere: Rongoā Practitioners and Kaitiaki perspectives on the value and meaning of the forest

He Taonga Kē Te Ngahere is about better understanding the meaning and value Māori give to te taiao (the natural environment), ngahere (forest) and taonga (treasured) species.

Environmental concerns and the role humans can play in addressing them, including matters of biosecurity, can only be approached after first understanding how we understand and relate to te taiao, ngahere and taonga species.

Māori beliefs, values and practices are believed to be intimately connected to te taiao – the natural environment.

They are grounded in an inherent understanding of the inter-relativity between humans, the ecosystem, the celestial spheres, and the entire universe.

Māori are diverse, so beliefs, values and behaviours must take account of whānau, hapū, and iwi differences, as well as a range of other factors.

Grounded in Kaupapa Māori, the project He taonga kē te ngahere aims to delineate these diverse realities and understandings of Māori as they relate to taiao, ngahere, and kauri and myrtaceae in particular.

In doing so, this project and storymap provides an Indigenous Māori psychological perspective, which acknowledges Māori worldviews, into the biodiversity space in Aotearoa.