Our latest Parikārangaranga included an update on our project. This post includes a few more photos and info.
For more background on the project, please click here
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- This photo shows Te Tumu Tangitū members at our second Wānanga. The kaupapa was to learn about and choose scientific tools that could be useful for us to look at the health of Tangitū, Kuku Reef, and the kuku. (Mātauranga from our divers was the kaupapa for the first wānanga). Pictured are (from left to right): Nani Taane, Hayley Lawrence (Project Lead for MTT), Coralee Thompson, Dayna Peterson, Kelly May (Project Lead for NIWA & MTT Trustee), Carl Cotter, Joeseph Taurima, Robin Taurima (and son Giovanni), Rangi Tawhai. (Members not pictured: Kaumātua Bevan Taylor, Cliff Tarau, Joe Tawhai, Nevada Nathan, Rhodes Kihi-Apuwai, and Whetumarama Kire).
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- We had a third wānanga at the Marae, where we discussed what hauora means for us and Tangitū.
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- Kaumātua Uncle Bevan Taylor and Koro Matiu Eru welcomed the NIWA staff and gave karakia for the fieldwork. MTT staff were there to meet and greet too.
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- Nevada Nathan (Te Tumu Tangitū member and Manu Tāiko, pictued on the right) represented our Hapū on the boat with three NIWA staff. Nevada guided the NIWA staff to the reefs we are studying and observed their mahi.
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- Our project is focussed on Kuku Reef. NIWA divers collected kuku and seawater samples.
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- NIWA went to a few locations in our takiwā to film using a type of underwater drone – ROV (remotely operated vehicle).
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- Kelly May and Rachel Hale came on the second day of fieldwork. Kelly (left) is a trustee for MTT but for the fieldwork was wearing her NIWA hat (literally!) as she is a marine scientist. Rachel (right) is also a scientist at NIWA.
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- Koro Matiu and the Manu Tāiko met with Kelly and Rachel on the beach. We all shared kōrero.
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- Kelly and Rachel collected water samples for eDNA analysis – from the rivermouth and the moana. ‘eDNA’ is ‘environmental’ DNA, “all the tiny traces of genetic material that is left behind as living things pass through water or soil.” epa.govt.nz You can learn more about eDNA by watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9BDCoY9R68
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- Kelly also collected kuku – for eDNA analysis and condition assessment. Kuku are filter-feeders so could have traces of other species eDNA inside them.
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- We are waiting for the results to be analysed, which will give us an idea of the health of the kuku, Kuku Reef and Tangitū, from a scientific perspective.
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- Our project is based on our own mātauranga ā-Hapū. We are also working on refining our cultural framework and cultural monitoring tools. The science is just one tool that we are using to inform our kaitiakitanga.
