This report outlines the results of reflective conversations with each of the Oranga Programme mātauranga based Project team leads. Specifically, these Projects include:
- RA1 – Te whakaora o ngā kauri: Rongoā solutions for kauri dieback
- RA2 – Te reo o te waonui a Tāne: The language of the domain of Tāne
- RA3 – Hapū Solutions for Myrtle Rust
- RA4 – Te Mana Motuhake a Ngā Kākano: The Sovereignty of Seeds
- RA5 – Critical Friend
The Projects all aim to restore the collective health of trees, forests and people, by connecting to and resourcing Māori communities and their environmental knowledge holders to help strengthen and sustain valuable knowledge constructs by exploring mātauranga Māori solutions to myrtle rust and kauri dieback. They show how mātauranga-led research can contribute to contemporary biosecurity issues while addressing the aspirations and cultural considerations of Māori and their communities. The Critical Friend Project has helped to put together this report to help inform the overall evaluation of the Oranga Programme.
Throughout 2021 and early 2022, conversations were held between Projects to explore what the collective impacts and progress had been. It was through this series of conversations, and the relationships we built by staying connected, that we created the measurement framework that provides a lens for interpreting our work together (contact Simon at for more information). It also helped create this report that shows the significant impact the Oranga Programme has had while working with kauri ora and myrtle rust. Specifically, evidence suggests that the collective mahi of the Oranga Projects has led to:
- An increased understanding of a healthy environment (impact: conceptual changes)
- An increased connections with and between iwi (impact: enduring connectivity)
- An increased research and community kaitiakitanga capacity (impact: capacity building)
- Lifting (promotion) of Kaumatua, Tohunga, and Māori research (impact: cultural and attitude change)
- An enhanced focus on and acceptance of the Māori worldview (impact: cultural and attitude change)
Based on this, we believe that the Projects have made progress towards the following aspirations set out at the start of Oranga:
- By 2024 – The Māori environmental worldview is an intrinsic part of restoring the ngahere from kauri dieback and myrtle rust.
- By 2024 – Māori are leading positive system change in forest biosecurity leading to increased resilience to tree pests and diseases, especially as related to kauri dieback and myrtle rust.
- By 2024 – Affected Māori communities are empowered to protect and restore their ngahere from kauri dieback and myrtle rust.
These aspirations will hopefully lead to the 2075 goal of, “our mokopuna are accessing and engaging with the ngahere for cultural, physical and spiritual outcomes unencumbered by myrtle rust and kauri dieback”. To determine this, we will continue to track our progress and use it to highlight the importance of this mahi not only for the kauri, but for the health of Aotearoa.