"Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au": Kaitiaki active experiences of marae-based river restoration

Abstract

This thesis looks at marae-based river restoration projects through a social enterprise lens. The purpose of this thesis is to explore how the enactment of Māori values enhances the physical and cultural wellbeing of rivers and people. The research provides insights into how kaitiakitanga is practiced and influenced by our interactions with waterways. This research was informed through colonial politics and diverse ways of understanding Māori worlds. I used an ethnographic approach which was influenced by Indigenous-centred methodologies. The research question asks: How do kaitiaki active experiences of river restoration broaden our understandings of cultural/spiritual dimensions of river restoration? The research finds that marae-based enterprises face cultural tensions in te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā ways of approaching business. However, Māori values provide the foundation that is needed to guide interactions with awa, whenua and whānau. The research also finds that through embodying and enacting Māori values of care for awa, the awa reciprocates that care. And lastly, this research aims to broaden understandings of kaitiakitanga through experiences of active kaitiaki. This research extends on Māori diverse economies literature through a social enterprise case study approach, emphasising cultural and spiritual dimensions of Māori business.