title: Fakakoloa as embodied mana moana and agency: Postcolonial sociology within Oceania

authors: Fa'avae, David Taufui Mkiato

abstract: The coupling of mana moana is grounded in inspiration from and through Indigeneity and Moana sense-making (intimate understanding through our sensibilities within Oceania). Tongan meaning-making is centred on talanoa-vā, a framework that begins theorisation and analytical unpacking from an Indigenous Moana relational vantage point. We employ talatalanoa (ongoing conversations) to story and capture our conceptualisations of fakakoloa (purposefully sharing and imparting knowledge) and mana moana across interdisciplinary intersections as Tongan male educators and researchers working across the social sciences and health sciences. Our unpacking of mana moana as collective agency and responsibility is a feature of being located in tu‘atonga (outside of Tonga; also relates to the Tongan diaspora). Fronting and centring Tongan thought and concepts is our way of grounding relational sense-making in Aotearoa/New Zealand whenua (places). Sociological inquiry through decoloniality within the postcolonial era from a Moana vantage point relies on approaches like talanoa-vā and talatalanoa to disrupt the normalised conditions and traditions of thinking and theorising within Euro-American-centric academe.

text: Fakakoloa as embodied mana moana and agency: Postcolonial sociology within Oceania The coupling of mana moana is grounded in inspiration from and through Indigeneity and Moana sense-making (intimate understanding through our sensibilities within Oceania). Tongan meaning-making is centred on talanoa-vā, a framework that begins theorisation and analytical unpacking from an Indigenous Moana relational vantage point. We employ talatalanoa (ongoing conversations) to story and capture our conceptualisations of fakakoloa (purposefully sharing and imparting knowledge) and mana moana across interdisciplinary intersections as Tongan male educators and researchers working across the social sciences and health sciences. Our unpacking of mana moana as collective agency and responsibility is a feature of being located in tu‘atonga (outside of Tonga; also relates to the Tongan diaspora). Fronting and centring Tongan thought and concepts is our way of grounding relational sense-making in Aotearoa/New Zealand whenua (places). Sociological inquiry through decoloniality within the postcolonial era from a Moana vantage point relies on approaches like talanoa-vā and talatalanoa to disrupt the normalised conditions and traditions of thinking and theorising within Euro-American-centric academe.

year: 2022

title: Wetland management in New Zealand: Are current approaches and policies sustaining wetland ecosystems in agricultural landscapes?

authors: Myers, S.C.

subjects: wetland policy

abstract: As a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity and to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, New Zealand has international responsibilities to protect and restore wetland ecosystems. The New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy also reflects New Zealand's commitment to help stem the loss of biodiversity worldwide, including wetlands.
Wetland loss in New Zealand has been more significant than in most parts of the world, and ecosystems in fertile lowlands have been most severely impacted by agricultural development. Wetlands provide important ecosystem services filtering nutrients and controlling floodwaters but they are under continued pressure from agricultural land use, including drainage, grazing, nutrient runoff, and the impacts of pest animals and plants.
Legislation in New Zealand identifies the protection of wetlands as a matter of national importance, and the protection of wetlands on private land has been identified as a national priority for action. While most of the larger nationally and internationally significant wetlands in New Zealand are in public ownership, the vast majority of smaller wetlands, which contribute to the full diversity of lowland ecosystems in New Zealand, are on private land in agricultural landscapes.
Regional and district councils have responsibilities to implement legislation and develop policies and regulations to protect wetlands and prevent their damage and degradation. Most use a mix of regulatory mechanisms and voluntary incentives to encourage protection and restoration of wetlands. The strength of regulation for wetland protection varies across the country, with stronger more restrictive rules in more populated regions and where loss in extent has been more significant. While all regional plans have some form of rule restricting damaging activities in wetlands, less than half have strong regulations where drainage is non-compliant, and monitoring is sparse. The majority of plans (60%) restrict damaging activities only in wetlands that are in a schedule or meet criteria for ecological significance; rules in most plans do not protect smaller, often degraded wetlands.
Although wetland loss and degradation still occurs in many regions, national and regional rates of loss are not reported. A response requires strong national policies on preventing further loss, the implementation of regulations in regional and district plans, and monitoring of the effectiveness of policies, rules, and non-statutory mechanisms. A combination of bottom lines for statutory regulation, voluntary incentives including support for fencing, and effective practical management is required.

text: Wetland management in New Zealand: Are current approaches and policies sustaining wetland ecosystems in agricultural landscapes? As a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity and to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, New Zealand has international responsibilities to protect and restore wetland ecosystems. The New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy also reflects New Zealand's commitment to help stem the loss of biodiversity worldwide, including wetlands.
Wetland loss in New Zealand has been more significant than in most parts of the world, and ecosystems in fertile lowlands have been most severely impacted by agricultural development. Wetlands provide important ecosystem services filtering nutrients and controlling floodwaters but they are under continued pressure from agricultural land use, including drainage, grazing, nutrient runoff, and the impacts of pest animals and plants.
Legislation in New Zealand identifies the protection of wetlands as a matter of national importance, and the protection of wetlands on private land has been identified as a national priority for action. While most of the larger nationally and internationally significant wetlands in New Zealand are in public ownership, the vast majority of smaller wetlands, which contribute to the full diversity of lowland ecosystems in New Zealand, are on private land in agricultural landscapes.
Regional and district councils have responsibilities to implement legislation and develop policies and regulations to protect wetlands and prevent their damage and degradation. Most use a mix of regulatory mechanisms and voluntary incentives to encourage protection and restoration of wetlands. The strength of regulation for wetland protection varies across the country, with stronger more restrictive rules in more populated regions and where loss in extent has been more significant. While all regional plans have some form of rule restricting damaging activities in wetlands, less than half have strong regulations where drainage is non-compliant, and monitoring is sparse. The majority of plans (60%) restrict damaging activities only in wetlands that are in a schedule or meet criteria for ecological significance; rules in most plans do not protect smaller, often degraded wetlands.
Although wetland loss and degradation still occurs in many regions, national and regional rates of loss are not reported. A response requires strong national policies on preventing further loss, the implementation of regulations in regional and district plans, and monitoring of the effectiveness of policies, rules, and non-statutory mechanisms. A combination of bottom lines for statutory regulation, voluntary incentives including support for fencing, and effective practical management is required.

year: 2013

title: The Te Aroha hot springs (mainly in the nineteenth century)

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: Unique amongst New Zealand mining districts, the hot springs sited at the base of the mountain were popular with miners, residents, and an increasing number of visitors. Highly valued by Maori for their medicinal qualities, Pakeha visited them well before gold was discovered. Acquired by the Crown as part of the purchase of the Aroha Block, contention arose over whether the springs had been gifted to the Crown and whether Maori should be charged for using them. The provision of a small but free bath to Ngati Rahiri did not satisfy them.
 After Pakeha settled, the springs were developed and the surrounding domain was landscaped. Analysis of the water by experts produced claims about its curative qualities and many miracle cures were claimed, and the water was bottled until more recent analyses traced the existence of arsenic. Men reputedly skilled in hydropathy and similar ‘sciences’ were appointed to assist those suffering from rheumatism and the like. A local board beautified the area until the domain was taken over by the Tourist Department. Many tourists from throughout New Zealand and abroad were attracted by the facilities, which included a library, but some noticed a lack of cleanliness and were annoyed by larrikins. Despite such problems, as mining faded Te Aroha profited from becoming a tourist destination and sanatorium.

text: The Te Aroha hot springs (mainly in the nineteenth century) Unique amongst New Zealand mining districts, the hot springs sited at the base of the mountain were popular with miners, residents, and an increasing number of visitors. Highly valued by Maori for their medicinal qualities, Pakeha visited them well before gold was discovered. Acquired by the Crown as part of the purchase of the Aroha Block, contention arose over whether the springs had been gifted to the Crown and whether Maori should be charged for using them. The provision of a small but free bath to Ngati Rahiri did not satisfy them.
 After Pakeha settled, the springs were developed and the surrounding domain was landscaped. Analysis of the water by experts produced claims about its curative qualities and many miracle cures were claimed, and the water was bottled until more recent analyses traced the existence of arsenic. Men reputedly skilled in hydropathy and similar ‘sciences’ were appointed to assist those suffering from rheumatism and the like. A local board beautified the area until the domain was taken over by the Tourist Department. Many tourists from throughout New Zealand and abroad were attracted by the facilities, which included a library, but some noticed a lack of cleanliness and were annoyed by larrikins. Despite such problems, as mining faded Te Aroha profited from becoming a tourist destination and sanatorium.

year: 2016