GUARDIANSHIP

Kaitiakitanga stands for guardianship and conservation. Traditionally, Ma¯ ori believe there is a deep kinship between humans and the natural world. This connection is expressed through kaitiakitanga which is a way of managing the environment. Today there is growing interest in kaitiakitanga as tribes endeavour to restore their environment and their culture. A kaitiaki is a guardian. Tikanga has a wide range of meanings. It covers culture, custom, ethic, etiquette, fashion, formality, lore, manner, meaning, mechanism, method, protocol, style. Generally taken to mean "the Ma¯ ori way of doing things," it is derived from the Ma¯ ori word tika meaning ‘right’ or ‘correct’.