Indigenous people and natural protected areas: Tangata Whenua and Mount Aspiring National Park

Abstract

The mountain peaks, snow-fed lakes and rugged coastlines of the South Island are renowned throughout New Zealand for their outstanding natural scenery. This thesis however, deals with the human dimension of these places, by outlining an indigenous experience of 'space', 'place' and a 'sense of place'. This thesis links ideas and patterns about these 'places' with the goal of finding out how 'Ngai Tahu whanui' cultural identity is inextricably linked to the landscape.

This thesis analyses certain aspects of the history of the New Zealand landscape by examining the connections between Ngai Tahu Whanui and specific landforms contained within the Mount Aspiring region. Although the tribe no longer has control over the area they are still bound to the area through a web of human meanings. This site was also chosen to illustrate the proliferation of sites that are significant to Maori (mountains, bodies of water and other natural resources) that are now being managed by the Department of Conservation. It is now the responsibility of the Department by way of statute to provide and give recognition to these cultural associations of iwi, while also trying to balance this with strategies to appease Western conservation values. This emphasis on providing for Maori values has also seen the adoption of many important Maori cultural concepts to environmental management.

The main findings of this thesis are that Ngai Tahu Whanui has over generations evolved a system based on whakapapa, which connects people to people and people to the landscape. Within the study area it was apparent that there were a number of individual landforms that were repositories of historical, cultural and spiritual significance to the tribe. Although significant in their own right these places when combined with others had their meanings expanded exponentially. The naming of places was a key component in the relationship between place and cultural identity for Ngai Tahu Whanui.