Mātauranga Māori and Diverse Cultural Perspectives on Sustainability
What this domain tests
This domain asks you to explain mātauranga Māori and other cultural perspectives accurately and to use them in sustainability decisions. It is not a vocabulary test; you must show respectful partnership and avoid flattening diverse views.
Core concepts
Mātauranga Māori is a Māori knowledge system, not a single opinion. It includes whakapapa (relationships across people, place, and species), kaitiakitanga (guardianship and reciprocal obligation), mauri (life force), tapu and noa (restriction and release), mana whenua (authority from long association), and rangatiratanga (self-determination). Knowledge is held by whānau, hapū, and iwi, so consultation must occur with the right people and early enough to shape decisions. Treaty of Waitangi principles commonly applied are partnership, participation, and protection. Pacific perspectives often centre vanua or fonua - land, people, and sea as one - and other cultures bring their own ecological knowledge. Avoid essentialism: not all Māori hold the same view, and mātauranga is dynamic.
Worked example
A council plans dune restoration. A contractor proposes fast-growing exotic grass. Mana whenua recommend native pīngao and a seasonal harvesting protocol. The strong answer combines mātauranga Māori (whakapapa to the species, tikanga for harvesting) with science (erosion plots, survival rates). It also describes co-design: mana whenua help set monitoring indicators, including mauri, and share decision-making authority. The outcome is more durable because it fits local practice and ecology.
Traps
Saying all Māori believe the same thing; treating mātauranga as only spiritual and science as the only real knowledge; consulting after the decision; ignoring data sovereignty; using Māori terms without explaining them.