Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Creation stories inspire quake preparedness
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and AF8 are weaving together mātauranga Māori with western science to make sure whānau are prepared for “the big one”.
Science tells us the Alpine Fault is expected to set off a magnitude 8 or higher earthquake some time in the next 50 years – as it does every 300 years or so.
And as Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Justin Tipa said, according to Ngāi Tahu creation stories, earthquakes are caused by Rūaumoko, the son of Ranginui (the Sky Father) and his wife Papatūanuku (the Earth Mother).
“Māori have experienced rū whenua, meaning ‘the shaking of the land’ for centuries,” Tipa said.
This knowledge was combined in a new educational video to reach more people and encourage South Islanders to be prepared. The video features reallife Ngāi Tahu pōua (grandfather) Henare Manawatu, from Kaikōura, sharing the creation story with his mokopuna (grandchild) Avatar Manawatu.
The campaign emphasised the importance of emergency preparedness, Tipa said.
It will be pushed through social media and Ngāi Tahu channels like TahuFM and the print publication Te Panui Runaka.
“Our marae naturally lead responses in emergency events, implementing the values of manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga through the provision of aid and shelter.
“Half of them have solar panels, enhancing their resilience, and with the support of Te Puni Kokiri, we’re installing emergency pods equipped with resources to support our communities.”
However, whānau needed to prepare themselves as well to reduce the impact of an emergency, Tipa said.
The AF8 programme combines scientific modelling, coordinated response planning, and engagement to prepare communities for the next Alpine Fault earthquake.
Ngāi Tahu senior adviser for whānau and emergency response Keela Atkinson-Cranwell said iwi had been working with the programme for a couple of years.
“[It is] part of our broader emergency resilience building mahi for our iwi. We have a shared vision and a willingness to weave together mātauranga Māori with western science to reach a wider audience within our iwi and the wider community.”
AF8 science lead Dr Tom Robinson said it was impossible to predict the next large
Alpine Fault earthquake but “we can prepare for it, and we need to work together to do that”.
“Anything we do to prepare now will make it easier for us to respond and recover in the future, not just for a large Alpine Fault earthquake, but any other natural hazard event that challenges us here in Te Waipounamu.”
Programme manager Alice Lake-Hammond said partnership was vital to the programme’s success.
Storytelling was a great way to impart knowledge, and the video would be used when the programme embarked on its next roadshow in 2025, she said.
“The AF8 Programme will continue to work with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Te Tauihu to incorporate te ao Māori into our activities,” Lake-Hammond said.
Toka Tū Ake EQC helped fund the campaign. Its public education manager Hamish Armstrong said the video would help people feel less overwhelmed by large-scale natural hazard events.
“The use of cultural storytelling is a really engaging way to communicate the message of emergency preparedness. It’s vital that our communities understand that together there’s a lot we can do to reduce the impact of these hazards,” he said.