The power of Taiao
Taiao speaks to the natural environment that contains and surrounds us. It encompasses all of the environment and its offspring. Because we are born of the earth and it is born of us, we have an eternal connection to Taiao – the earth, sky, air, water and life that is all interdependant. Taiao is about finding our way forward by forging an interconnected relationship with that environment based on respect. That interdependency lies at the heart of our Taiao methodology.
Sharing our knowledge
When we consider our natural world and the ecosystems that sustain it, we can quickly recognise that humans not only depend on Taiao but that we are a part of it and we have influence over it through our practices.
By bringing together Mātauranga Māori, community based knowledge and modern science, we will form a body of knowledge that can guide and elevate our practices everyday, empowering us to elevate ourselves above compliance.
An active approach
Kaitiakitanga (guardianship) is an active practice. Good Kaitiakitanga will involve taking action where things are out of balance and other parts of the system are being affected by resource use. Te Mauri o te Taiao provides a framework for everyone to effectively assess the mauri of all the elements within Taiao. We will look to develop assessment and monitoring tools to assist with implementing Te Mauri o te Taiao successfully.
Come with us
As farmers, growers, fishers, makers and crafters, the land and oceans have shaped our ways of life for generations. We now invite you to come on a journey together and engage in a shared conversation about how we might do things better. That journey starts with developing a framework that gives us a safe operating space to engage in meaningful dialogue about the future of our sector in relation to Taiao.
Hear from 3 members of the Primary Sector Council about Te Taiao at the launch on 7 July 2020 (1 minute 50 seconds).