Funding M¯aori landscape classification is preposterous

OPINION have occupied New Zealand for nearly 1000 years. Their longstanding relationship with the land has imbued them with expert knowledge and justifies their kaitiakitanga role as stewards of the environment.

The ministry thinks there is a critical need to document this cultural knowledge as it offers a potentially vital pathway to secure environmental benefit and sustainability in the future.

Under contract to the ministry, researchers at Massey University plan to integrate Ma¯ ori landscape classification into existing environmental data sets. This will be ‘‘achieved through broad multidisciplinary science and kaupapa Ma¯ ori methodology with hapu/iwi research partnerships’’.

‘‘This unique research proposes to bridge not only the social science traditions with research partnerships, but also to overlay Western science with indigenous knowledge.’’ This is preposterous; a bad joke. Ma¯ ori relations with the land are rooted in the supernatural. Our mountains are personified as gods and a spiritual life force (mauri) supposedly enlivens all lakes, rivers, the ocean, plants, animals and people.

Science long ago dismissed the supernatural and the life force as pure fiction, making Western science and the religion of Stone Age vitalism incompatible.

Attempting to overlay Western science with religion is a dangerous exercise, as when President Recep Erdogan recently outraged scientists worldwide by insisting that Turkish scientists harmonise their researches with Muslim principles.

Despite claims to the contrary, Ma¯ ori were no great shakes at preserving the environment or maintaining sustainability. Ma¯ ori were responsible for bringing the predatory Pacific rat from Hawaiki to our shores.

On mainland New Zealand, the rat ate 20 species of small birds and tuatara to extinction. Ma¯ ori ate nine species of moa, another dozen large birds and a sea lion to extinction.

Ma¯ ori also burnt off a quarter of our bush – mainly down the east coasts of both islands.

If Ma¯ ori had matches, chainsaws and bulldozers, they would no doubt have made as big a mess of the native environment as Pa¯ keha¯ did later.

The ministry’s proposal appears to be driven not by any scientific justification but by obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi.

All government departments must consult with Ma¯ ori on big issues, and must recognise customary Ma¯ ori land rights.

One might ask: who benefits from the ministry’s proposal? Clearly, the Massey researchers will be $2.7m better off, and the ministry itself will earn brownie points for inviting tangata whenua to participate in the research exercise.

Otherwise, nobody benefits. I have a feeling that $2.7m might be better spent on other projects.