Climate change and mātauranga Māori: making sense of a western environmental construct

ABSTRACTTe ao Māori approaches to restoring wellbeing in relation to people and te taiao are proliferating in Aotearoa New Zealand. While climate change is a critical lever nationally and globally, it sits in the background of Māori initiatives and worldviews. Drawing on participant interviews, this paper follows the work needed for Māori to reconcile with the concept of climate change. Considerable ‘work’ was needed to move through various processes in the face of contrasting concepts and worldviews. This firstly involved remembering and honouring mātauranga and the values and actions embedded in Māori knowledge systems. Participants then had to make sense of the relationships between the concept of climate change and Māori concepts. Finally, participants provided examples of the actions and leadership that Māori take in this field. The concept of climate change had considerable traction and leverage; however, it frames and constrains efforts to effect planetary healing locally, nationally, and globally. Acting on more expansive and relational understandings can slow both the drivers and effects of climate change.