#Catherine Iorns

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The primary hurdle to discussing feminist objections was that they often challenged the basic precepts of liberalism itself

- Catherine J Iorns, A FEMINIST LOOKS AT RONALD DWORKIN'S THEORY OF EQUALITY

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Despite efforts to protect the river, Muteshekau Shipu continues to be threatened by potential new hydroelectric dam development. But, in February, the Innu Council of Ekuanitshit and the Minganie Regional County Municipality declared the Muteshekau Shipu (Magpie River) a legal person, a move that may provide greater certainty for this majestic river’s future.

While a first in Canada, granting legal personhood to natural entities is part of a global movement to recognize the rights of nature in law. Indigenous communities around the world are leading the way in upholding the rights of sacred and ancestral rivers, forests and mountains.

Recognizing the rights of nature is an opportunity to elevate the power of Indigenous Peoples’ laws and worldviews to benefit all peoples.

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“Designating the river as a legal person was the clearest message we could send,” Chief Jean-Charles Piétacho of the Innu Council of Ekuanitshit told us in an interview. “There will never be dams in this river. The river protects herself, we protect the river, we’re all protected. I think the message is very clear.”

Galvanized by widespread environmental degradation and rising Indigenous rights movements, Indigenous communities around the world are leading the way in upholding the rights of sacred and ancestral rivers. This includes Māori tribal relationships with the Whanganui River in Aotearoa New Zealand, the role of Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities in the Atrato River in Colombia, and the Yurok Tribal Council’s granting legal rights of personhood to the Klamath River through an ordinance in the United States.

The idea that nature is a sentient being isn’t new to Indigenous and other traditional peoples. “The vision of the Innu is that Nature is living. Everything is alive,” said Chief Piétacho.

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Bridging western and Indigenous legal systems through a rights-of-nature approach is one tool for encouraging a kincentric view of the world, which sees humans as “part of an extended ecological family that shares ancestry and origins.”

Indigenous laws mirror and reinforce relational worldviews that view living entities as relatives, not resources. This in turn shapes social conduct that emphasizes respect and responsibility to the natural world. Innovative governance arrangements are one means through which distinct worldviews and associated laws can be woven together.

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Week 12 - Individual Writing

This essay will discuss concepts of Te Reo Maori with regard to Cosmology. Specifically I will discuss Matariki and the perspectives of both Western and Maori cultures. Cosmology is a branch of astronomy concerned with the studies of the origin and evolution of the universe. Western cosmology is the study of the universe and its components whereas Maori cosmology involves social, spiritual and practical aspects of survival like the moon calendar, wayfinding and the star compass. A lot of knowledge about Maori astronomy was lost or dismissed following colonisation of New Zealand.

Matariki is the start of the Maori New Year. It is a cluster of about 500 stars, but only seven of them can be seen by the naked eye, these are known as the mother and her six daughters Tupuānuku, Tupuārangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī, Waitā and Ururangi. They are a distinct line of stars that forms Orion’s belt, just north of these is the cluster of the Matariki stars. Matariki rises in the NorthEast in New Zealand from late May to early June, and this is when the festivities start. People celebrate it to remember their ancestors by coming together sharing food, playing and singing to music, and storytelling. “The stars were closely associated with planting, harvesting and hunting. If the stars are bright and clear it signifies an abundant season ahead.” (Matariki: Maori New Year). The Western cultures view cosmology as “The movement of the sun across the sky determined the seasons, while the lunar cycle of 28 days provided convenient divisions of the year - 12 months, based on monath, the Old English word for moon. The rising and setting of constellations and stars also provided annual markers.” (Roos).

Maori and western cultures have not too dissimilar perspectives as to how the world started as they both had a dense mass, Western say the world started with the Big Bang whereas the Maori creation story begins in darkness which Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatūānuku, the earth mother, emerge. Earth and sky were joined together but their children separated their parents letting light come into the world.

Maori “don’t come from a history of superstition and ignorance but come from a history of science and knowledge” (Tātai arorangi) just like the Western cultures do. The merging of both cultures can benefit from each other as some aspects are very similar. “Not only do I think we have a lot to learn from mainstream science, I think that mainstream science has a lot to learn from indigenous science. Together we can enrich the science field, a collective approach will add value to astronomy in general.” (Matamua).

Waituhi is a series of public art designs that are placed annually at the same time as Matariki rises. The purpose of Waituhi is to take the festivities and kaupapa of Matariki to a larger audience, like a public space rather than traditional art spaces such as galleries and museums. The eight flag poles are located at Frank Kitts park facing the Whairepo Lagoon, they celebrate the new year and acknowledge the site as one of significance to mana whenua. This year the Waituhi Flags were designed by David Hakaraia, inspired by the whai repo, stingray that sit in the Lagoon. The triangle shapes symbolise the three iwi, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tupaia and Ngāti Haumia who settled in the harbour before the Europeans. There have been a lot of effects on Maori astronomy since colonisation, specifically how much knowledge was passed on and how much is taught today. There has been a lack of knowledge and education at schools however since the 2000’s a group Society for Māori Astronomy Research and Traditions (SMART) formed, and has been collating stories and knowledge to share to preserve and revitalize Maori astronomical knowledge. (Tātai arorangi). Also “for many years navigation schools in Aotearoa-New Zealand and Hawaii have been training the next generations of navigators, so this knowledge base seems now to be in safe hands and to be steadily heading in a successful direction.” (Harris) It's good to know that training has been put in place for the new generations to be educated on the historical traditions their ancestors used.

Fig. 1. David Hakaraia, Waituhi Flags, 2020, Wellington City Council, https://wellington.govt.nz/services/community-and-culture/arts/outdoor-public-art/waituhi-matariki-public-art-project

A resource that people can use to learn more about Matariki is Living by The Stars with Professor Rangi Matamua on Facebook. This is a great resource to watch quick videos and learn about Maori astronomy. Matamua talks about the certain part of Matariki on that certain day. He educates people about Matariki throughout the whole year, not just at the start of the rising when most people celebrate it, but people can practice the things that they certain days are specific for and “Live by The Stars.” “Your knowledge of your environment was necessary for you to survive.” (Matamua) The traditional signs help many people of all cultures who still use them today, planting on certain days. “I suggest that it may even alter the mainstream constructions of nature, through normalizing the indigenous constructions. Thus, the protection of indigenous rights to culture and religion could better protect a healthy environment for everyone.” (Magallanes, 3). This facebook page is a great resource for people to learn about the right days for specific events as “detailed knowledge of the environment and ecology were needed to understand the optimal times for agricultural and hunting practices, and early ethnographic accounts of Māori growing practices often were veiled by colonial bias and a lack of in-depth understanding of the cultural context.” (Harris).

In conclusion, Maori and Western cultures have similar aspects of cosmology and combining areas could lead to a richer value of astronomy in New Zealand. People will deepen their knowledge about their environment and the certain traditional practices that have been carried through their ancestors, making people have a better connection to their religion and land. There are many art, designs and resources that can help educate people on cosmology, both Maori and Western, like the Flags and the Living by The Stars Facebook page.

Reference List

Harris, Pauline, et al. "A review of Māori astronomy in Aotearoa-New Zealand." Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage 16.3 (2013): 325-336.

Magallanes, Catherine J. Iorns. "Maori cultural rights in Aotearoa New Zealand: Protecting the cosmology that protects the environment." Widener L. Rev. 21 (2015): 273.

Roos, Anna. “Astronomy and Cosmology: Western and Non-Western Cultural Practices in Ancient Astronomy.” Encyclopedia, Oct 25 2020, www.encyclopedia.com/science/science-magazines/astronomy-and-cosmology-western-and-non-western-cultural-practices-ancient-astronomy

Scottie Productions. “Project Mātauranga Episode 8: Tātai arorangi.” Science Learning Hub, 4 July 2018, www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1274-revitalising-maori-astronomy