Lincoln University Digital Dissertation - Lincoln University Research ...

interrelated and to be accounted for in a holistic appreciation where culture is
a unique, central consideration.
5.4.2 Description of sustainable livelihood assets
By appreciating the holistic nature of Maori well-being as illustrated in Tapa
Wha, and acknowledging the all-encompassing influence of whakapapa, it
becomes apparent that culture is a very real consideration which has
profound influence on the livelihoods of the growers concerned. Excluding
culture, or addressing cultural assets as assets unrelated to other assets,
would be inadequate in this research where research participants described a
holistic and interrelated appreciation of Maori well-being. This view is
supported by Workman (1999) who claims that Maori approaches to
development do not recognise clear sectoral demarcations between social,
cultural and economic areas. The need for such a holistic perspective is also
shared by Durie et al (2002: 12) who claim that Maori development could be
undermined if a narrow development model, “at odds with Maori world-views,
were allowed to signpost the road ahead”. Furthermore, as culture influences
the way people value their assets, culture influences the way in which assets
are managed (Carney, 1998: 11).
Therefore, not only do social and cultural assets overlap as is shown in Figure
2, but the growers in this case study have described a Maori perspective
whereby culture, and cultural assets are central to, and influence and overlap
into all assets types depicted in the SLA (i.e. natural, social, human, physical,
and financial). Cultural norms, heritage, customs, tradition and values
influence all other livelihood assets and therefore the influence and interaction
of cultural assets with other assets needs to be emphasised. To separate
culture as a separate and unrelated ‘asset’ in this situation could potentially be
misrepresentative, whereby cultural considerations are not appropriately
considered as they apply to each respective component in the livelihoods
framework.
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