Kaitiakitanga

Kaitiaki is a New Zealand term used for the Māori concept of guardianship, for the sky, the sea, and the land. The process of protecting and looking after the environment is called 'kaitiakitanga'.

Traditional kaitiaki practices include rāhui and tapu[1].

The term Kaitiaki is increasingly used more widely both in the Māori language and in New Zealand English for roles of trusteeship or guardianship—especially in public sector organisations.

Examples include:

• A proposed "Governance-Kaitiaki group" to overseeing electrolic authentication by government[2]
• The ombudsman's office Māori title is "Te Tari o Nga Kaitiaki Mana Tangata"[3] (i.e. "Office of the guardian of the people")
• The role of Kaitiaki in a software project[4]

Art

Awanui Hamon, son of Rei Hamon, paints images that relate to the concepts. 'Kaitiaki ote whenua IV' is one work that depicts the concept; "we are all guardians of our earth whether we accept that or not and we must think about that fact" Awanui Hamon, Driftwood Studio. [5]

Sky

Reduce emission gases and particles, reduce light pollution, be able to see the stars clearly to use as a guide to the land and our heritage.

Land

Use wisely so that it can continue to be re-used to support planetary life indefinitely.

Sea

Reduce pollutants and over-harvesting to enable marine life to recover and flourish again.

See also

• Māori
• Māori influence on New Zealand English
• Māori language
• Māori religion
• Rangi and Papa
• Tā moko
• Taha Māori
• Tikanga Māori
• Aurora Australis
• Astronomy
• Lyall Bay
• Houghton Bay
• Astro Art
• Dark-sky movement
• Light pollution
• International Dark-Sky Association

External links

• Kaitiaki.org.nz
• Kaitiakitanga.net
• Save The Point Org
• Light Trespass
• RASNZ - Dark Sky Vision Statements
• Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand
• Atmospheric Images from Wellington NZ
• Aurora Australis photos and report
• Geology of the Wellington area
• South coast geology - 3.5 Meg PDF