Kaitiakitanga: Maori Guardianship of
the Land
article by Jim Chapple
In 1994, a (New Zealand) Board of Inquiry into the question of a National Coastal Policy for Aotearoa was set up by the Department of Conservation. ...
The interpretation of kaitiakitanga provided in the first draft of the Policy document stated, “Kaitiakitanga means the exercise of guardianship; and in relation to a resource, includes the ethic of stewardship based on the nature of the resource itself.”
Extreme disquiet emerged once Maori became aware of the above explanation. Almost every tangata whenua group in the submissions process commented that kaitiaki and kaitiakitanga have much deeper meanings than English language can convey in one sentence. This explains why the final report contains the following:
“Kaitiakitanga is the role played by kaitiaki. Traditionally, kaitiaki are the many spiritual assistants of the gods, including the spirits of deceased ancestors, who are the spiritual minders of the elements of the natural world. All the elements of the natural world, the sky father and earth mother and their offspring; the seas, sky, forests and birds, food crops, winds, rain and storms, volcanic activity, as well as the people and wars are descended from a common ancestor, the supreme god. “
These elements, which are the world’s natural resources, are often referred to as taonga, that is, items which are greatly treasured and respected.
In Maori cultural terms, all natural and physical elements of the world are related to each other, and each is controlled and directed by the numerous spiritual assistants of the gods.
“These spiritual assistants often manifest themselves in physical forms such as fish, animals, trees or reptiles. Each is imbued with mana, a form of power and authority derived directly from the gods. Man being descended from the gods is likewise imbued with mana, although that mana can be removed if it is violated or abused. There are many forms and aspects of mana, one of which is the power to sustain life. “
Maoridom is very careful to preserve the many forms of mana it holds, and in particular is very careful to ensure that the mana of kaitiaki is preserved. In this respect Maori become one and the same as kaitiaki (who are, after all, their relations), becoming the minders for their relations, that is, the other physical elements of the world. “
As minders, kaitiaki must ensure that the mauri or life force of their taonga is healthy and strong. A taonga whose life force has been depleted, as is the case for example with the Manukau Harbour, presents a major task for the kaitiaki. In order to uphold their mana, the tangata whenua as kaitiaki must do all in their power to restore the mauri of the taonga to its original strength. ...
The report then adds the following explanatory comments: “An interpretation of kaitiakitanga based on this explanation (above) must of necessity incorporate the spiritual as well as the physical responsibilities of tangata whenua, and relate to the mana not only of the tangata whenua, but also of the gods, the land and the sea. Local authorities and consent authorities need to be aware that tangata whenua read for more into the interpretation of kaitiakitanga than just the surface meaning of the words written in English.”
“Correct response to one’s environment will result in correct rapport with the soul aspect, hidden in every form, and will produce right relations between the various parts of the inner nervous structure to be found in every kingdom of nature, subhuman and superhuman. ... therein lies the basis of brotherhood and unity.
As the ... organs in the body are separate in existence and in function, and yet are unified and brought into relation through the medium of the nervous system throughout the body, so ...
... the kingdoms in nature have
their separate life and functions, yet are correlated and coordinated
by a vast intricate sensory system, which is sometimes called the soul
of all things, the anima mundi, the underlying consciousness.
Treatise on White Magic,
p. 21, A.A. Bailey, 1934;
also available in Earthcare - A Call to Stewardship, published by World
Goodwill