Mai te Rangi ki te Whenua, Mai te Whenua ki te Rangi

This literature review identifies 5 actions that support the wellbeing of land, water, and indigenous people from a uniquely Māori perspective. The actions are aimed at amplifying aspirations identified by tāngata whenua throughout Aotearoa. They are actionable by all groups including Crown entities, industries and businesses, as well as individual landowners. The key is communication and, therefore, understanding which hapū have mana (authority) in an area, and then engaging with them to support the wellbeing of the land. The actions are:

• Engage with tāngata whenua to incorporate their values into policies, plans, and decisions that affect land and water.
• Strengthen the practice of traditional and contemporary tikanga (holistic methods) on the whenua.
• Support opportunities to enhance kaitiakitanga.
• Conserve and restore wāhi tapu (culturally significant sites).
• Revitalise the use of traditional Māori place names.

Report for Our Land and Water, 2021