Te Au o Te Moana – The Voice of The Ocean: Weaving indigenous wisdom alongside science to address ocean wellbeing

Te Ararau o Tangaroa, e rere ki te papa-uru-nui

The hundred waterways of Tangaroa, flow into the great ever filling seabed

Recent developments and initiatives globally have seen the significant uplift in the reclamation and revitalisation of indigenous knowledge and the restoration of the application of that knowledge in innovative new ways.  This is also true in terms of our connection and relationship with the ocean, with numerous examples internationally of indigenous and first nations communities leading the activation of indigenous approaches, both independent of, and in harmony with contemporary science and other forms of knowledge.

In Aotearoa New Zealand we have seen the evolution of unique ways to create and hold space for indigenous Māori approaches, knowledge and practice in marine governance and management.  The aim of this evolution goes beyond decolonising aspirations, and focusses on being informed by the wisdom of the environment itself, our ancestral connections to our land and seascapes, and applying that wisdom to achieve improved outcomes for us all.  Critical to this is the restoration of our ability to read the vast library which is our taiao (environment), and to hear, understand and be able to respond to its voice as our ancestor.  Exploring these concepts and approaches provides a valuable opportunity within the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development to draw upon the full suite of options available to us to respond to the significant challenges we all face.  We can draw on the learnings and insights from Aotearoa New Zealand’s Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge.  Research focussed on indigenous leadership in the development of models to enable a rethinking of the role and relationship of science and indigenous wisdom to reconnect us to our oceans to improve collective wellbeing.