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Enhancing Food Security and Physical Activity for Māori, Pacific and Low-income PeoplesIn the years following European settlement, land loss through legislation and war meantthe loss of traditional food-gathering places. Land being cleared for farming andincreased pollution due to industry also impacted on Māori traditional food- gatheringsites. The loss of these traditional food-gathering sites or mahinga kai was oneimportant part of the Ngāi Tahu claim to the Waitangi Tribunal. 7There are two possible ways iwi economic development in traditional food sources couldimpact on household food security for Māori. The first way is through directly increasingfood availability to households, for example, through mātaitai reserves or communitygardens. The second is through increasing income available to households througheconomic development and the creation of jobs. Aquaculture and horticulture areexamples of this.Mātaitai reservesCurrently many iwi are working to re-establish their traditional food-gathering practicesand reinforce their role as kaitiaki or carers of the environment. One example of this isthe establishment of mātaitai reserves to preserve the marine environment and enablefish and shellfish stocks to re-establish. Mātaitai reserves were created under the1996 Fisheries Act and designed to give effect to the obligations stated in the Treaty ofWaitangi Fisheries Claims Settlement Act 1992 to develop policies to help recognise useand management practices of Māori in the exercise of non-commercial fishing rights. 8Currently there are now six Ngai Tahu mātaitai around the South Island, with anothertwo expected to be finalised soon. 9 There are a further five mātaitai reserves in theNorth Island, in Aotea Harbour, Mt Maunganui/Tauranga Harbour, Raukokere on theEast Cape, and two at Moremore in Hawkes Bay. 10It is hoped by iwi that fish, shellfish, and eel stocks will replenish enough to recreate theflourishing food baskets once enjoyed. In order to establish and manage the mātaitai,iwi are working with a number of partners including the National Institute of Water andAtmospheric Research (NIWA), Department of Conservation, city councils, Ministry ofFisheries, and Otago University. 9Community GardensMany iwi and pan-tribal Māori organisations are also establishing gardening projects toenable people access to low-cost vegetables and fruit. One example is the Wai OraTrust in Christchurch which has community garden plots available for community groupsto grow and harvest their own vegetables. 11 The expansion of the gardens to include‘community garden plots’ came about after a successful application to the CanterburyDistrict Health Board via its Healthy Eating Healthy Action programme.AquacultureAquaculture development is relevant to Māori for a number of reasons.• New legislation for aquaculture development is being implemented.• An allocation of aquaculture assets will be made to iwi.• Many iwi are being allocated fishing assets which are complementary toaquaculture assets.• Aquaculture, if appropriately developed, can be consistent with kaitiakitanga(guardianship).81
Enhancing Food Security and Physical Activity for Māori, Pacific and Low-income PeoplesAquaculture development has special relevance to Māori because of the allocation ofaquaculture space to coastal iwi. The equivalent of 20 percent of all aquaculture spacecreated between September 1992 and December 2004, under the previous legislation,must be allocated to those coastal iwi recognised in the Māori Fisheries Act 2004. Anynew space created after the aquaculture reforms will automatically have 20 percentallocated to iwi. 12As well as the development of aquaculture in the coastal marine area, iwi are alsoinvolved in land-based aquaculture. As an example of development in this area, theHongoeka Development Trust is working with NIWA on a land-based polyculture for localMāori in Plimmerton. Polyculture is the concept of growing two or more complementaryspecies together, as opposed to aquaculture which involves the propagation and rearingof a single aquatic species The joint project has enabled the local iwi to investigate alow-cost way for coastal Māori to engage in land-based polyculture. To date the primaryspecies grown in Plimmerton have been paua and karengo (edible seaweed). Once thefacility is established, NIWA and the Hongoeka Development Trust plan to run a trainingcourse at Plimmerton.HorticultureTraditionally, gardening played an important role in providing Māori with cultivatedvegetables, namely, kumara, uwhi (yams), taro and hue (gourds). Europeans introducedmany new food crops, significantly, the potato which was grown both for food and fortrading with settlers. 6Massey University, together with the Māori grower collective, are currently investigatingthe place of taewa (Māori potatoes) in future Māori economic development. Theresurgence of taewa is partly due to burgeoning interest in indigenous food, nationallyand internationally; the interest from Māori growers themselves; and the potential torestore or build on a body of knowledge currently held by Māori horticulturists. 14ConclusionThe role of iwi/pan tribal organisations in enhancing food security for Māori through thedevelopment of traditional Māori food sources is an area for future consideration andresearch by iwi/pan tribal organisations and the Crown. This paper suggests that it offerspotential to enhance food security and economic development for Māori.RecommendationsIt is recommended that:• funding is allocated to research into the role of iwi and pan tribal organisations infood security and economic development through the development of traditionalMāori food sources,• the Crown engages with iwi and pan tribal organisations about how developmentof traditional food-related projects can be supported,• iwi and pan tribal organisations further investigate opportunities to developtraditional food-related projects to enhance food security and economicdevelopment.82
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