title: National Maori and Pacific psychologies symposium: Claiming spaces

authors: Levy, Michelle Patricia

subjects: Maori

abstract: In 2002 the Maori and Psychology Research Unit made a valuable contribution to the  teaching and practice of psychology in Aotearoa via the two day Maori Graduates of Psychology Symposium: Making a Difference. Mid-way through 2006, our collective memories of the hard work in 2002  diminished, so much so that we once again considered hosting a similar event. Building on the foundations laid in 2002, the theme of the 2007 symposium was "Claiming Spaces", with our focus expanding to include peoples of the Pacific. This theme reflected that the time had come for Maori and Pacific Psychologies to move from the margins and claim legitimate space within psychology. It recognized that here in Aotearoa we have the potential to be pioneers in the development of psychologies relevant and applicable to Maori and Pacific peoples, and to better understand what science, culture and practice means when indigenous and cultural world views are prioritised. It was an inclusive theme, with the programme comprising presentations led by Maori and Pacific psychologists, graduates of psychology and psychology students. These presentations reflected on and made connections to the theme of "Claiming Spaces".

text: National Maori and Pacific psychologies symposium: Claiming spaces In 2002 the Maori and Psychology Research Unit made a valuable contribution to the  teaching and practice of psychology in Aotearoa via the two day Maori Graduates of Psychology Symposium: Making a Difference. Mid-way through 2006, our collective memories of the hard work in 2002  diminished, so much so that we once again considered hosting a similar event. Building on the foundations laid in 2002, the theme of the 2007 symposium was "Claiming Spaces", with our focus expanding to include peoples of the Pacific. This theme reflected that the time had come for Maori and Pacific Psychologies to move from the margins and claim legitimate space within psychology. It recognized that here in Aotearoa we have the potential to be pioneers in the development of psychologies relevant and applicable to Maori and Pacific peoples, and to better understand what science, culture and practice means when indigenous and cultural world views are prioritised. It was an inclusive theme, with the programme comprising presentations led by Maori and Pacific psychologists, graduates of psychology and psychology students. These presentations reflected on and made connections to the theme of "Claiming Spaces".

year: 2008

title: Indigenising the Screen, Navigating the Currents of Change, a Vision of Fourth Cinema

authors: Bristowe, Joseph Curtis

subjects: Māori Knowledge

abstract: This thesis tests the hypothesis that it is possible to both decolonise and Indigenise the New Zealand cinema screen. Secondary research explores how those discourses that promoted roles and expectations for Māori within the New Zealand film industry were based principally upon historical colonial ideologies imposed by various means upon the native populous, and subsequently reproduced. It has been argued that these discourses of race, gender and religion have predominantly perpetuated negative belief systems about Māori, have contributed to the reproduction of stereotypical images of Māori, and that alternative structures of belief will be necessary in the field of cultural production. 
This thesis stems from this essential argument, and is fuelled by the researcher’s own desire to demystify, decolonise and Indigenise the New Zealand screen through the development of a Kaupapa Māori based strategic framework to inform/guide Māori scriptwriting/filmmaking practice. Drawing upon academic research, intimate cultural knowledge and the practice of creative writing, this thesis will explore the case that when thought and action are focused effectively through an applicable and practical Indigenous framework, an expression of collective identity based on individual qualities will deliver a better approach to Māori scriptwriting/filmmaking practice. This case will be developed and examined.

The case also depends on arguing that supposedly progressive representations of Māori in mainstream New Zealand films since the mid-1980s are not an incremental advance towards Fourth Cinema, because Māori subjectivity in film had still not been reconnected with a self-efficacy belief system based upon Indigenous foundations. The alternative approach effectively materialises strong anti-colonial perspectives aimed specifically at subverting long-held and dominant colonial discourses. Such an approach rejects the tradition of being defined, constructed and represented through discourses that serve to promote the interests of a majority and, in doing so, offers a collective vision for Fourth Cinema or Indigenous Cinema as advocated by the late Barry Barclay who campaigned for an Indigenous filmatic base grounded firmly in the philosophies, concepts and practices of the people. A tantalising larger question is whether specific strategic frameworks (e.g. in differing national contexts) tap into a common base of ‘Fourth Cinema’ values and philosophy, a base that then deeply affects all aspects of practice, from idea generation to narrative structures or the handling of time.

This thesis shall therefore be largely focused upon attempting to define and determine the foundations of an Indigenous knowledge system, and then upon how such definitions can revitalise those foundations for effective application in a contemporary context. Such an approach is founded upon the belief that what we are lacking in the Māori world is not the quantity of Māori knowledge; there is a veritable plethora of Māori knowledge still available. My research will seek to demonstrate that what is lacking is sufficient qualitatively powerful contemporary thought that yields ‘reflections’ contained in that knowledge, i.e., appropriate insight into their contemporary application.  This view is supported by the words of noted Māori Scholar Charles Royal (2002):

A key aspiration of all indigenous people is cultural survival. This means the perpetuation of our knowledge, our traditions, our worldviews, our philosophies. What this requires, however, is not so much the simple use of traditional knowledge but research into its principles, its fundamental view on reality and the creative application of those views in the contemporary context. Otherwise indigenous knowledge will remain merely historical phenomena, a museum curio bearing little relevance to the contemporary experience of indigenous peoples. (p. 11-12)

Importantly, I will examine the proposition that the more we discover, examine and utilise Māori knowledge, the more we will grow to understand new ways to create, design and fashion contemporary applications of this knowledge. Therefore, what is required and what should be of impetus to present day Māori scholars is a new spirit of enquiry, into the evolution of Indigenous knowledge systems and more specifically in this context, their role in relation to filmmaking processes. Such a belief is supported by the words of noted Ngāti Porou tohunga (expert in traditional lore) New Amsterdam Reedy (2011) who in relation to the application of Māori knowledge systems stated emphatically, ‘It’s not about how far back we can go, it’s about how far we can take it into the future.’ 

Such an approach is where I will argue the true revolutionary and emancipating thinking lies. Therefore, and of equally important significance, this thesis through the discussion of Māori knowledge and its contemporary application also engages debates surrounding the further development of Kaupapa Māori theory and more specifically, locates this within a filmmaking framework. In this way, Kaupapa Māori theory, as much as it is employed in this study is also subject to a self-reflective analysis and critique, therein providing an original contribution to the current literature in Kaupapa Māori theory and filmmaking and consequently developing a more comprehensive understanding of both fields of study.
For I will contend that Fourth Cinema is an effective way to understand the other, engage in new and integrated ways of thinking and living, and recognise how different bodies of knowledge, traditional or modern, Indigenous and Western may coexist for common purpose and mutual benefit. For this is the integrated and inclusive space where the complexity of the relationship between the colonial and post-colonial truly exists, one which brings together essential and non-essentialist post-colonial theoretical paradigms as well as Indigenous knowledge and contemporary Western knowledge systems thereby bridging worlds that, at first, seem to be strangers to one another, but may be more connected than they are different.

text: Indigenising the Screen, Navigating the Currents of Change, a Vision of Fourth Cinema This thesis tests the hypothesis that it is possible to both decolonise and Indigenise the New Zealand cinema screen. Secondary research explores how those discourses that promoted roles and expectations for Māori within the New Zealand film industry were based principally upon historical colonial ideologies imposed by various means upon the native populous, and subsequently reproduced. It has been argued that these discourses of race, gender and religion have predominantly perpetuated negative belief systems about Māori, have contributed to the reproduction of stereotypical images of Māori, and that alternative structures of belief will be necessary in the field of cultural production. 
This thesis stems from this essential argument, and is fuelled by the researcher’s own desire to demystify, decolonise and Indigenise the New Zealand screen through the development of a Kaupapa Māori based strategic framework to inform/guide Māori scriptwriting/filmmaking practice. Drawing upon academic research, intimate cultural knowledge and the practice of creative writing, this thesis will explore the case that when thought and action are focused effectively through an applicable and practical Indigenous framework, an expression of collective identity based on individual qualities will deliver a better approach to Māori scriptwriting/filmmaking practice. This case will be developed and examined.

The case also depends on arguing that supposedly progressive representations of Māori in mainstream New Zealand films since the mid-1980s are not an incremental advance towards Fourth Cinema, because Māori subjectivity in film had still not been reconnected with a self-efficacy belief system based upon Indigenous foundations. The alternative approach effectively materialises strong anti-colonial perspectives aimed specifically at subverting long-held and dominant colonial discourses. Such an approach rejects the tradition of being defined, constructed and represented through discourses that serve to promote the interests of a majority and, in doing so, offers a collective vision for Fourth Cinema or Indigenous Cinema as advocated by the late Barry Barclay who campaigned for an Indigenous filmatic base grounded firmly in the philosophies, concepts and practices of the people. A tantalising larger question is whether specific strategic frameworks (e.g. in differing national contexts) tap into a common base of ‘Fourth Cinema’ values and philosophy, a base that then deeply affects all aspects of practice, from idea generation to narrative structures or the handling of time.

This thesis shall therefore be largely focused upon attempting to define and determine the foundations of an Indigenous knowledge system, and then upon how such definitions can revitalise those foundations for effective application in a contemporary context. Such an approach is founded upon the belief that what we are lacking in the Māori world is not the quantity of Māori knowledge; there is a veritable plethora of Māori knowledge still available. My research will seek to demonstrate that what is lacking is sufficient qualitatively powerful contemporary thought that yields ‘reflections’ contained in that knowledge, i.e., appropriate insight into their contemporary application.  This view is supported by the words of noted Māori Scholar Charles Royal (2002):

A key aspiration of all indigenous people is cultural survival. This means the perpetuation of our knowledge, our traditions, our worldviews, our philosophies. What this requires, however, is not so much the simple use of traditional knowledge but research into its principles, its fundamental view on reality and the creative application of those views in the contemporary context. Otherwise indigenous knowledge will remain merely historical phenomena, a museum curio bearing little relevance to the contemporary experience of indigenous peoples. (p. 11-12)

Importantly, I will examine the proposition that the more we discover, examine and utilise Māori knowledge, the more we will grow to understand new ways to create, design and fashion contemporary applications of this knowledge. Therefore, what is required and what should be of impetus to present day Māori scholars is a new spirit of enquiry, into the evolution of Indigenous knowledge systems and more specifically in this context, their role in relation to filmmaking processes. Such a belief is supported by the words of noted Ngāti Porou tohunga (expert in traditional lore) New Amsterdam Reedy (2011) who in relation to the application of Māori knowledge systems stated emphatically, ‘It’s not about how far back we can go, it’s about how far we can take it into the future.’ 

Such an approach is where I will argue the true revolutionary and emancipating thinking lies. Therefore, and of equally important significance, this thesis through the discussion of Māori knowledge and its contemporary application also engages debates surrounding the further development of Kaupapa Māori theory and more specifically, locates this within a filmmaking framework. In this way, Kaupapa Māori theory, as much as it is employed in this study is also subject to a self-reflective analysis and critique, therein providing an original contribution to the current literature in Kaupapa Māori theory and filmmaking and consequently developing a more comprehensive understanding of both fields of study.
For I will contend that Fourth Cinema is an effective way to understand the other, engage in new and integrated ways of thinking and living, and recognise how different bodies of knowledge, traditional or modern, Indigenous and Western may coexist for common purpose and mutual benefit. For this is the integrated and inclusive space where the complexity of the relationship between the colonial and post-colonial truly exists, one which brings together essential and non-essentialist post-colonial theoretical paradigms as well as Indigenous knowledge and contemporary Western knowledge systems thereby bridging worlds that, at first, seem to be strangers to one another, but may be more connected than they are different.

year: 2017

title: The Sediment Dynamics of Ahuriri Estuary, Napier, New Zealand

authors: Eyre, Tracey Michelle

subjects: Ahuriri

abstract: Ahuriri Estuary is a shallow, microtidal estuary located in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Sediment transport pathways and areas of potential erosion and accretion of Ahuriri Estuary are identified to enhance the understanding of the fate of contaminants entering the estuary and to provide a basis for future large-scale modelling applications. Fine sediments have a high adsorption capacity for heavy metals and nutrients, which may result in the accumulation of contaminants in estuarine environments. Extensive land claim of previously inundated areas uplifted by the 1931 Napier earthquake for industrial, urban and agricultural expansion has led to an increase in heavy metal and nutrient runoff into the estuary. Characterising the hydrodynamics and sediment transport of the estuary is imperative for the prediction and mitigation of sedimentation and contaminant accumulation.
A combination of hydrodynamic and sediment transport modelling using the DHI MIKE 21 suite was used to run a series of scenarios of sediment release into the estuary and subsequent dispersal. The MIKE 21 Flow model was calibrated and validated using field data from two field deployments conducted during a spring and neap tide. The hydrodynamic model predicted current direction and velocity patterns in concurrence with measured data. Residual circulation patterns in Ahuriri Estuary were ebb-dominated, indicating a likely net downstream movement in sediment. Flow was highly channelised within the middle - lower estuary, with a low energy regime in the upper estuary. This suggested that sediment introduced into the estuary from the Taipo Stream is likely to be flushed from the estuary if it reached the middle estuary. However, flow velocities and lack of residual currents in the upper estuary resulted in a large proportion of sediment introduced during storm runoff settling out of suspension, resulting in net deposition in close proximity to the source. 
Sediment grain-size and consequently the settling velocity were found to be the main contributing factor to sediment dispersal. Fine silts were found to be transported the furthest downstream with a large proportion being transported from the estuary mouth and the model domain, respectively. A large proportion of coarser silts and fine sands were found to settle out of suspension in close proximity to the sediment source. An increased settling velocity resulted in an increased influence of the simulation conditions at the time of sediment release, as it was the initial transport of coarser grain-sizes which determined their ultimate depositional location. Sediment deposition was greatest in close proximity to the source and in upper intertidal regions, which are a major sink for suspended sediments due to their sheltered nature. This was correlated with greater organic carbon content and finer grain-sizes in these areas, suggesting a depositional environment. A general trend of fining of grain-size from high energy to low energy environments was identified. In these areas, sediment reworking due to tidal action and wave-related processes was limited.

text: The Sediment Dynamics of Ahuriri Estuary, Napier, New Zealand Ahuriri Estuary is a shallow, microtidal estuary located in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Sediment transport pathways and areas of potential erosion and accretion of Ahuriri Estuary are identified to enhance the understanding of the fate of contaminants entering the estuary and to provide a basis for future large-scale modelling applications. Fine sediments have a high adsorption capacity for heavy metals and nutrients, which may result in the accumulation of contaminants in estuarine environments. Extensive land claim of previously inundated areas uplifted by the 1931 Napier earthquake for industrial, urban and agricultural expansion has led to an increase in heavy metal and nutrient runoff into the estuary. Characterising the hydrodynamics and sediment transport of the estuary is imperative for the prediction and mitigation of sedimentation and contaminant accumulation.
A combination of hydrodynamic and sediment transport modelling using the DHI MIKE 21 suite was used to run a series of scenarios of sediment release into the estuary and subsequent dispersal. The MIKE 21 Flow model was calibrated and validated using field data from two field deployments conducted during a spring and neap tide. The hydrodynamic model predicted current direction and velocity patterns in concurrence with measured data. Residual circulation patterns in Ahuriri Estuary were ebb-dominated, indicating a likely net downstream movement in sediment. Flow was highly channelised within the middle - lower estuary, with a low energy regime in the upper estuary. This suggested that sediment introduced into the estuary from the Taipo Stream is likely to be flushed from the estuary if it reached the middle estuary. However, flow velocities and lack of residual currents in the upper estuary resulted in a large proportion of sediment introduced during storm runoff settling out of suspension, resulting in net deposition in close proximity to the source. 
Sediment grain-size and consequently the settling velocity were found to be the main contributing factor to sediment dispersal. Fine silts were found to be transported the furthest downstream with a large proportion being transported from the estuary mouth and the model domain, respectively. A large proportion of coarser silts and fine sands were found to settle out of suspension in close proximity to the sediment source. An increased settling velocity resulted in an increased influence of the simulation conditions at the time of sediment release, as it was the initial transport of coarser grain-sizes which determined their ultimate depositional location. Sediment deposition was greatest in close proximity to the source and in upper intertidal regions, which are a major sink for suspended sediments due to their sheltered nature. This was correlated with greater organic carbon content and finer grain-sizes in these areas, suggesting a depositional environment. A general trend of fining of grain-size from high energy to low energy environments was identified. In these areas, sediment reworking due to tidal action and wave-related processes was limited.

year: 2009