Mana moana, mana tangata Testimonies on depletion and ...

generations and then look back. I mean I think that’s quite a good way to look at how you should
<strong>mana</strong>ge, will have that in your mind, you know. So effectively, try and think like the next generation and
look back – Interviewee #20
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the driving force behind the mātaitai, obviously, is conservation. We want to be able to ensure that the
kai in our <strong>moana</strong> is there for all New Zealanders (mairamau?) that we are able to go and get this, ... as a
young person in my lifetime and I’m 67, I was able to go down to the beach with my parents and my
grandparents and gather seafood just on the shore. Today that’s not there anymore and there’s a
number of reasons for that but ... we believe that by putting in some protection mechanisms and some
constraints around our waterways and our beaches that it will assist to bring back the kai that was
abundant and we could all enjoy, once again, the foods of Tangaroa– Interviewee #22
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There is a lot of diabetes in our Iwi which is directly attributable to our genetic disposition to seafood
and our genetic inability to cope with dairy products, sugar and wheaten foods as well as Pākehā
genetics. So our [inherent] taste for kai<strong>moana</strong> and our ability to put kai<strong>moana</strong> on the table is very
important. – Interviewee #25
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Most important reason for kai<strong>moana</strong> is the <strong>mana</strong> of the tupapaku i.e. tangihanga and provision for the
guests and mourners to be able to concentrate on the relationship aspects of the funeral rather that the
day to day requirement s of hosting. In this regard the Kai<strong>moana</strong> is an expression of the ability and
knowledge to provide for the hapū and guests. – Interviewee #25
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if the fish is getting fished out, it seems to make sense that we start restocking. Does the Act support
that as (?) through the RMA that we can actually go there to develop that, I mean, whether it’s marine
or freshwater, I mean, that’s where we’re headed is land-based freshwater act, well, for us and the
(Kuratau?), it’s the freshwater resources, land-based, of course, because of the RMA issues about watertaking,
discharge and blah, blah, blah, but does the Fisheries Act have any mechanisms in there to
support that or anything like that? It seems quite fundamental if it’s being fished out, well put some in –
Interviewee #18b
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to a lot of <strong>tangata</strong> whenua those are important things, the lifeblood of the awa, whether it’s the Wairoa
River or the Nuhaka or Mohaka. That’s a very important thing. Not just to get a few whitebait on the
table but that’s sort of like the tuna is their <strong>mana</strong> and the crayfish and the kai<strong>moana</strong> is the <strong>mana</strong> of
Rongomaiwahine sort of thing because, I’m not saying the whitebait is the <strong>mana</strong> of Rakiapaaka but you
know, the best thing if you haven’t got that, you’re disempowered, your own kai – Interviewee #30
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