title: Searching for synergy: Māori/indigenous and scientific conservatory values - the affinity propositon

authors: Simon, Katerina Heremoana

subjects: Development studies

abstract: "Reconciling similarity/ affinity and difference/ distinction is one of the most important development issues of our contemporary period. Yet much effort aimed at gaining support for the plight of Māori/ indigenous peoples remains locked into the assertion of difference and distinction alone, those points of cultural affinity that could play an important role in processes of reconciliation and movement forward being largely ignored. What is proposed here is what is referred to as the ‘affinity proposition’, that is, it is argued that Māori/ indigenous development requires, for its further advancement, a focus not only on difference and divergence, but also on similarity and affinity. At the very heart of Māori/ indigenous development are issues relating to social justice, economic equity, freedom, ecological sustainability and cultural diversity, concepts which are equally highly valued in many sectors of mainstream (non-indigenous) society. Certainly, there are important differences in the ways in which these values are perceived and articulated in the context of different cultures, and these differences have recently been the focus of considerable attention and debate. However, there are also similarities which have received less attention in spite of the fact that they may hold the key to achieving a sufficient level of mutual understanding to underpin effective Māori/ indigenous development.

This paper explores the development of a synergistic process of reconciliation between Māori/ indigenous values and scientific conservatory values. It reports on the preliminary findings of a research project whose focus is a cross-cultural study of environmental governance and management regimes under the New Zealand Resource Management Act 1991. The central questions addressed here are: Can reconciliation be achieved through recognition of both affinity and difference? Could such reconciliation underpin effective Māori/ indigenous development? It is argued here that a process of synergy is already under way, a process that can best be understood in terms of a theoretical framework that encompasses both the concept of modernity and the sustainable development paradigm."

text: Searching for synergy: Māori/indigenous and scientific conservatory values - the affinity propositon "Reconciling similarity/ affinity and difference/ distinction is one of the most important development issues of our contemporary period. Yet much effort aimed at gaining support for the plight of Māori/ indigenous peoples remains locked into the assertion of difference and distinction alone, those points of cultural affinity that could play an important role in processes of reconciliation and movement forward being largely ignored. What is proposed here is what is referred to as the ‘affinity proposition’, that is, it is argued that Māori/ indigenous development requires, for its further advancement, a focus not only on difference and divergence, but also on similarity and affinity. At the very heart of Māori/ indigenous development are issues relating to social justice, economic equity, freedom, ecological sustainability and cultural diversity, concepts which are equally highly valued in many sectors of mainstream (non-indigenous) society. Certainly, there are important differences in the ways in which these values are perceived and articulated in the context of different cultures, and these differences have recently been the focus of considerable attention and debate. However, there are also similarities which have received less attention in spite of the fact that they may hold the key to achieving a sufficient level of mutual understanding to underpin effective Māori/ indigenous development.

This paper explores the development of a synergistic process of reconciliation between Māori/ indigenous values and scientific conservatory values. It reports on the preliminary findings of a research project whose focus is a cross-cultural study of environmental governance and management regimes under the New Zealand Resource Management Act 1991. The central questions addressed here are: Can reconciliation be achieved through recognition of both affinity and difference? Could such reconciliation underpin effective Māori/ indigenous development? It is argued here that a process of synergy is already under way, a process that can best be understood in terms of a theoretical framework that encompasses both the concept of modernity and the sustainable development paradigm."

year: 2003-05

title: Lessons from children in Māori medium for teachers: Encouraging greater efficiency when learning to multiply.

authors: Hāwera, Ngārewa

subjects: children

abstract: This research explores the responses of 44 Year 7-8 students from four Māori medium schools who were asked to solve a multiplication word problem. The findings show that there was a range of mental strategies displayed by the children, 29 of whom were able to solve the problem. However, data also indicates that 15 children were not able to either access the problem or utilise an appropriate strategy to solve it. This paper discusses the strategies shared by all of these children and suggests avenues to further support learners to become multiplicative thinkers.

text: Lessons from children in Māori medium for teachers: Encouraging greater efficiency when learning to multiply. This research explores the responses of 44 Year 7-8 students from four Māori medium schools who were asked to solve a multiplication word problem. The findings show that there was a range of mental strategies displayed by the children, 29 of whom were able to solve the problem. However, data also indicates that 15 children were not able to either access the problem or utilise an appropriate strategy to solve it. This paper discusses the strategies shared by all of these children and suggests avenues to further support learners to become multiplicative thinkers.

year: 2012

title: Model versus nature: Hydrodynamics in mangrove pneumatophores

authors: Horstman, Erik M.

subjects: Vegetated flows

abstract: Water flows through submerged and emergent vegetation control the transport and deposition of sediment in coastal wetlands. Many past studies into the hydrodynamics of vegetation fields have used idealized vegetation mimics, mostly rigid dowels of uniform height. In this study, a canopy of real mangrove pneumatophores was reconstructed in a flume to quantify flow and turbulence within and above this canopy. At a constant flow forcing, an increase in pneumatophore density, from 71 m⁻² to 268 m⁻², was found to cause a reduction of the within-canopy flow velocities, whereas the over-canopy flows increased. Within-canopy velocities reduced to 46% and 27% of the free-stream velocities for the lowest and highest pneumatophore densities, respectively, resulting in stronger vertical shear and hence greater turbulence production around the top of the denser pneumatophore canopies. The maximum Reynolds stress was observed at 1.5 times the average pneumatophore height, in contrast to uniform-height canopies, in which the maximum occurs at approximately the height of the vegetation. The ratios of the within-canopy velocity to the free-stream velocity for the pneumatophores were found to be similar to previous observations with uniform-height vegetation mimics for the same vegetation densities. However, maxima of the scaled friction velocity were two times smaller over the real pneumatophore canopies than for idealized dowel canopies, due to the reduced velocity gradients over the variable-height pneumatophores compared to uniform-height dowels. These findings imply that results from previous studies with idealized and uniform vegetation mimics may have limited application when considering sediment transport and deposition in real vegetation, as the observed turbulence characteristics in nonuniform canopies deviate significantly from those in dowel canopies.

text: Model versus nature: Hydrodynamics in mangrove pneumatophores Water flows through submerged and emergent vegetation control the transport and deposition of sediment in coastal wetlands. Many past studies into the hydrodynamics of vegetation fields have used idealized vegetation mimics, mostly rigid dowels of uniform height. In this study, a canopy of real mangrove pneumatophores was reconstructed in a flume to quantify flow and turbulence within and above this canopy. At a constant flow forcing, an increase in pneumatophore density, from 71 m⁻² to 268 m⁻², was found to cause a reduction of the within-canopy flow velocities, whereas the over-canopy flows increased. Within-canopy velocities reduced to 46% and 27% of the free-stream velocities for the lowest and highest pneumatophore densities, respectively, resulting in stronger vertical shear and hence greater turbulence production around the top of the denser pneumatophore canopies. The maximum Reynolds stress was observed at 1.5 times the average pneumatophore height, in contrast to uniform-height canopies, in which the maximum occurs at approximately the height of the vegetation. The ratios of the within-canopy velocity to the free-stream velocity for the pneumatophores were found to be similar to previous observations with uniform-height vegetation mimics for the same vegetation densities. However, maxima of the scaled friction velocity were two times smaller over the real pneumatophore canopies than for idealized dowel canopies, due to the reduced velocity gradients over the variable-height pneumatophores compared to uniform-height dowels. These findings imply that results from previous studies with idealized and uniform vegetation mimics may have limited application when considering sediment transport and deposition in real vegetation, as the observed turbulence characteristics in nonuniform canopies deviate significantly from those in dowel canopies.

year: 2016