Video

Te Au o Te Moana story series

This series aims to whakamana (empower) the voices of researchers, co-developers, Māori partners and communities of research and practice associated with Sustainable Seas and their relationship with the moana.

Joe Harawira from the Challenge Kāhui Māori suggested the overarching kaupapa for our Te Au o Te Moana story series. Read Matua Joe's story to learn about the thinking behind the concept, the name, and the change he’d like to see.

Te Au o Te Moana means the voice, the sounds, the cry of the ocean. In Hawai’i they refer to this as ‘the ocean tides’ referring to the sounds, nature and size of the tides, as well as the material they carry. It denotes a voice or information/insight into what is going on above, within, and beneath the waves – a sense of the state of the ocean and our responsibility and relationship to the mauri (life force), wairua (spirit), mana (prestige), and tapu (sacrality) within.

	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Dan Hikuroa Dan co-leads the Enabling kaitiakitanga and EBM research, bringing to the project both tools from his scientific training, and ways of knowing, of being and doing consistent with mātauranga Māori and with te ao Māori. Published September 2023 Interview by Desna Whaanga-Schollum
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Waiaria Rameka Waiaria co-leads the Ngā Tohu o te Ao: Maramataka and marine management project, which is investigating maramataka (Māori lunar calendars) as a framework to develop cultural coastal indicators to inform marine monitoring practices. Published August 2023 Interview by Desna Whaanga-Schollum
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Karen Fisher Karen Fisher, leader of the Enhancing EBM practices theme, researches how knowledge is produced and used to inform environmental governance and management in New Zealand. Published July 2023 Interview by Desna Whaanga-Schollum
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Matt Rout Matt Rout specialises in indigenous socio-economic development and environmental sustainability, focusing on creating theoretical frameworks grounded in context and designed to deliver practical progress. Published July 2023 Interview by Desna Whaanga-Schollum
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Shaun Awatere Shaun Awatere, leader of the Tangaroa research theme, is interested in how people behave towards the environment and how their actions might affect future generations. Published June 2023 Interview by Desna Whaanga-Schollum
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Julie Hall Julie Hall, the director of the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge, has always had a deep connection to the moana. Published February 2023 Interview by Laura Dooney
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Jason Mika Jason Mika wants to see New Zealanders adopt the philosophy of Māori, viewing the ocean as a living, breathing ancestor, in order to help us care for it. Published December 2022 Interview by Desna Whaanga-Schollum
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: John Reid John Reid speaks about why he works with Sustainable Seas, his deep connection to the ocean, and his passion for helping restore our once abundant moana. Published November 2022 Interview by Desna Whaanga-Schollum
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Chris Cornelisen Chris Cornelisen realised at a young age that he wanted to dedicate his life's mahi to helping and supporting the moana. He explains how he came to know that, and what he'd like to see happen in Aotearoa NZ to make things better for our moana. Published October 2022 Interview by Laura Dooney
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Joe Harawira Sustainable Seas Kāhui Kaumatua Joe Harawira set the kaupapa for our Te Au o Te Moana story series. Here he shares some of the thinking behind the concept, the name, and the change he’d like to see. Published September 2022 Interview by Desna Whaanga-Schollum
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Anna Madarasz-Smith Anna Madarasz-Smith has a deep love for the moana. As a marine biologist based in Hawke's Bay, she's passionate about raising awareness of the pressure the moana is under. Through the Hawke's Bay regional study, she's helping figure out how stressors interact, and could be managed better. Published August 2022 Interview by Laura Dooney
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Vera Rullens Vera Rullens wanted to be a marine biologist as a child, and has achieved her dream. Her research investigates different pressures on marine ecosystems, and how they interact. She is part of the team on the project Communicating risk and uncertainty. Published July 2022 Interview by Laura Dooney
	Te Au o Te Moana - Voice of the Ocean: Eva Siwicka Eva Siwicka is passionate about helping bring about change to the way we manage our moana. She's designing tools to link New Zealanders to ocean restoration projects. Eva is the Project Leader for Modelling restorative economies. Published June 2022 Interview by Laura Dooney
	Te Au o Te Moana – Voice of the Ocean: Elizabeth Macpherson Elizabeth Macpherson is looking at the legal frameworks that manage relationships between people and marine environments, and how they might be used or changed to help protect our moana for future generations. Elizabeth is co-lead for the Policy and legislation for EBM project. Published May 2022 Interview by Laura Dooney
	Te Au o Te Moana – Voice of the Ocean: Lara Taylor Lara Taylor speaks frankly about identity, intergenerational trauma, and the wero (challenge) to heal our places and spaces, Ki Uta Ki Tai. Lara is a co-lead for the Enabling kaitiakitanga and EBM project. Published March 2022 Interview by Desna Whaanga-Schollum
	Te Au o Te Moana – Voice of the Ocean: Clare Bradley Clare Bradley leads a sustainable whānau owned rimurimu/seaweed business. Her strong connection with the moana started at a young age and she is passing on a respect for our oceans to the next generation as both a business leader and mother. Clare is part of the leadership team at AgriSea, based in Paeroa. Published February 2022 Interview by Janel Hull