A star of the sea
Kura Paul-Burke is the first wa¯hine Ma¯ori professor of marine research at the University of Waikato – and is determined not to be the last, writes
When a mussel restoration programme in Bay of Plenty’s O¯ hiwa Harbour, began to ramp up installation, scientific adviser Professor Kura Paul-Burke had an idea. Mussel spat lines are typically made of composites, adding yet more plastic to the ocean as they disintegrate.
Why not make the lines out of a natural fibre, she asked.
Turning to traditional Ma¯ ori practices, the project team made lines out of t¯ı ko¯ uka (cabbage tree) leaves, gathered from the ground and woven into rope. The trial shows early success. Mussel population in the harbour has risen 10-fold since 2019 and galvanised local hapu¯ into environmental action.
It’s an example of the coming together of Paul-Burke’s two worlds: Western environmental science and indigenous knowledge or ma¯ tauranga Ma¯ ori.
Of Nga¯ ti Awa and Nga¯ ti Whakahemo, PaulBurke is one of only three Ma¯ ori marine professors in the country. Using her platform, she champions ma¯ tauranga Ma¯ ori approaches to marine science and inspires the next generation of marine scientists, leading a range of outreach programmes and supporting young Ma¯ ori
PhD students in her field.
A project leader for Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge, she was also listed among the 2023 semifinalists for the Ministry for the Environment New Zealand Environmental (MfE) Hero of the Year.
Diving into change
Paul-Burke’s journey into environmental science started later than most – she already had five children and was working. It was snorkelling at Whakaari (White Island) in the ancestral waters of her iwi that jolted her in a new direction. ‘‘My world view is that it is the current generation’s responsibility to ensure we pass on natural resources that are in as good a condition if not better than what we’ve inherited. This perspective has shaped my whole life and guides my mahi.’’
Supported by her husband, she resigned from her job, enrolled as a first-year marine student at AUT University and earned a Bachelor of Applied Science. She continued her studies in ma¯ tauranga Ma¯ ori at Te Whare Wa¯ nanga o Awanuia¯ rangi, earning a Masters in Indigenous Studies with Honours and a PhD Environmental.
As Paul-Burke studied, she discovered an ever greater connection between the sciences and ma¯ tauranga Ma¯ ori. She says areas where
indigenous peoples speak their languages and enact their traditional practices are the areas with the highest biodiversity. ‘‘Cultural diversity is related to biodiversity, which is important for sustaining our ocean and estuaries into the future.’’
O¯ hiwa mussel restoration
A great example of the merging of worlds is the restoration of biodiversity in O¯ hiwa Harbour. Although many factors played into the decline of the green-lipped mussel population, the rampant rise of sea stars (starfish) in the harbour contributed to a drop from 112 million to just 80,000 mussels between 2007 and 2019.
In 2009, an estimated 672 tonnes of 11-armed sea stars were identified predating on the mussels. The sustainable amount of sea stars was 15 tonne per hectare. By 2019, there was an estimated 100,000 sea stars in a twohectare pipi bed.
Working with local iwi, the Awhi Mai Awhi Atu project was formed to implement a kaitiakitanga-based approach to ecosystembased management (EBM) for the harbour. Supported by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the seven partners of the O¯ hiwa
Harbour Implementation forum, it actively connects marine science with ma¯ tauranga Ma¯ ori practices.
Paul-Burke and the team have increased the mussel population to nearly 800,000.
Passing it on
It is traditional Ma¯ ori knowledge and practices like these that help respond to degradation of coastal islands and estuaries and inspire the next generation of marine kaitiaki.
‘‘One of the best things about my work is working with youth. We train them to free-dive so they can connect with and experience their ocean as the next generation of environmental leaders. Show them how to combine ma¯ tauranga Ma¯ ori with marine science. And most of all, fall in love with our moana to be better future kaitiaki.’’