Maori

Latest news

Freshwater species show vulnerability to climate change

15 September 2020

A new study has identified seven freshwater species native to Aotearoa-New Zealand that will likely be highly or very highly vulnerable to climate change.

Building pathways

Feature story

28 July 2020

It has been a whirlwind first six months for Ngāpera Keegan and Tekiteora Rolleston-Gabel, the first two young researchers in NIWA’s newly established Māori Graduate Internship Programme.

Māori carvers head to Antarctica

Media Release

30 January 2019

Two Māori carvers head to Antarctica next week to complete and install a traditional carving at Scott Base, New Zealand’s headquarters on the ice.

Scientists confirm former site of Pink and White Terraces

Media Release

29 November 2018

The diary and hand-drawn maps of a nineteenth century geologist has enabled NIWA scientists to confirm the former site of the iconic Pink and White Terraces at Lake Rotomahana.

Our work

Maniapoto Cultural Assessment Framework

Maniapoto Māori Trust Board and NIWA worked collaboratively during 2018-19 to support Ngāti Maniapoto whānau to reconnect with and participate in the assessment of their freshwater according to their values.

Cultural Keystone Species - Co-management and restoration of our freshwater taonga species

Māori communities around the country note that the abundance, size and/or distribution of tuna, kōura and kāeo/kākahi is declining and that current populations aren’t sufficient to meet their needs.

Recovering plants for reintroduction to Lake Ōmāpere

NIWA recently hosted visitors from Northland to view cultivated plants from Lake Ōmāpere that are now ‘extinct in the wild’, and discussed plans for their reintroduction to the lake in the future.

Latest videos

We are NIWA, Taihoro Nukurangi

Ko Te Waka o Taihoro Nukurangi, Ko NIWA me kī. Anei tenei purongo!

We are NIWA, Taihoro Nukurangi. Check out our stunning video!

Tracing tsunamis through history

Weaving whakapapa and science together to trace tsunami through history.

We are NIWA, Taihoro Nukurangi

Ko Te Waka o Taihoro Nukurangi, Ko NIWA me kī. Anei tenei purongo!

We are NIWA, Taihoro Nukurangi. Check out our stunning video!

Freshwater species show vulnerability to climate change

Media Release

15 September 2020

A new study has identified seven freshwater species native to Aotearoa-New Zealand that will likely be highly or very highly vulnerable to climate change.

Maniapoto Cultural Assessment Framework

Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (CCVA)

To prepare for changes in climate, our freshwater and oceans decision-makers need information on species vulnerability to climate change.

Building pathways

Feature story

28 July 2020

It has been a whirlwind first six months for Ngāpera Keegan and Tekiteora Rolleston-Gabel, the first two young researchers in NIWA’s newly established Māori Graduate Internship Programme.

Taonga Species Series

NIWA, through the MBIE-funded Cultural Keystone Species programme (2016-2020), have developed a series of iwi engagement booklets sharing science knowledge to support species management strategy

Tracing tsunamis through history

Weaving whakapapa and science together to trace tsunami through history.

Scientists make break-through in saving freshwater mussels

Doctoral student, Michele Melchior, has made an important breakthrough in the effort to save New Zealand's freshwater mussels, or kākahi.

Kākahi were once a valuable food source for Māori, and they also play a crucial role as indicators of the health of waterways. All three kakahi species in New Zealand are in decline.

Scientist collects rubbish to rid river of plastics

It may be rubbish to everyone else, but to Amanda Valois each little scrap of plastic on a river bank or in a waterway tells a valuable story.

Freshwater Update 80, March 2019

Freshwater Update 80 brings you the latest information from our Freshwater & Estuaries Centre, with articles that cross a broad spectrum of freshwater research. This edition has articles about the sources of plastics in our waterways, the discovery of long-lost lake plant species and a breakthrough in research about freshwater mussels/kākahi.

Māori carvers head to Antarctica

Media Release

30 January 2019

Two Māori carvers head to Antarctica next week to complete and install a traditional carving at Scott Base, New Zealand’s headquarters on the ice.

Scientists confirm former site of Pink and White Terraces

Media Release

29 November 2018

The diary and hand-drawn maps of a nineteenth century geologist has enabled NIWA scientists to confirm the former site of the iconic Pink and White Terraces at Lake Rotomahana.

Te Huringa ki te Rangi – He Rautaki Tāwariwari. Adapting to climate change – a decision-making model for Indigenous Peoples

Te Huringa ki te Rangi is a decision-making model to support indigenous and coastal communities who are grappling to understand and evaluate climate change impacts and risks, and how to integrate these into their development plans for the future.

Hapū joins forces with NIWA in tuna research

Feature story

20 June 2017

Local hapū and NIWA are working together to find out more about juvenile freshwater eels or tuna in streams connecting to the Wairua River in the Wairoa catchment in Northland.

Erica Williams - Where the water is clean

Feature story

20 June 2017

Erica Williams' story starts with the website of Moerewa School, where pupil Tyra-Lee explains her connection to a very special place in her small Far North town.