šŸ—£ļø Week 1: Kaumātua Interview Guide

Unit 9: Environmental Mātauranga ā€” Protecting Our Taiao
A respectful guide to learning traditional environmental knowledge from community elders.

šŸ™ Tikanga Māori: Respectful Interview Protocols

When seeking mātauranga (knowledge) from kaumātua (elders), we must follow proper cultural protocols to show respect.

āœ… Before the Interview:

  • Ask your teacher to help arrange the interview properly
  • Send a written request explaining your project and questions
  • Offer to meet at their preferred location and time
  • Ask if they would prefer to speak in English, te reo Māori, or both
  • Prepare a small koha (gift) to show respect ā€” ask your teacher for appropriate suggestions
āš ļø Important: Never interview kaumātua without proper introduction and permission. Always have a teacher, parent, or community liaison help arrange the meeting. This shows you understand the importance of respectful relationships.

šŸŒ Introduction Questions

Start with respectful introductions and context setting

1. Mihi and Introduction

Say: "Kia ora, my name is ____________. I'm a student at ____________ school. We're learning about how traditional Māori knowledge can help solve modern environmental problems. Would you be comfortable sharing some of your knowledge with us?"

Ask: "Could you tell us a little about yourself and your connection to this area?"

Their response:



2. Permission and Boundaries

Ask: "Is it okay if we take some notes? Are there any topics you'd prefer not to discuss, or knowledge that should remain private?"

Their response and any restrictions:


šŸŒæ Traditional Environmental Knowledge Questions

3. Observing Environmental Health

Ask: "When you were younger, how did your whānau know if the environment was healthy? What signs did you look for in nature?"

Traditional environmental indicators they mention:




Follow-up: "Are these signs still reliable today? What changes have you noticed?"

Changes they've observed:



4. Water Quality (Wai)

Ask: "How did your whānau traditionally know if water was safe and healthy? What did you look for?"

Traditional water quality indicators:




Follow-up: "What would your tīpuna (ancestors) do if they found water was polluted or unhealthy?"

Traditional responses to water problems:



5. Plant and Animal Health

Ask: "What native plants or animals were important indicators of environmental health? How did your whānau use them to understand the state of the land?"

Important indicator species:




Follow-up: "Are these plants and animals still present in our area? What has changed?"

Changes in local biodiversity:



6. Weather and Climate Patterns

Ask: "How did your whānau predict weather and seasonal changes? What natural signs did you observe?"

Traditional weather prediction methods:




Follow-up: "Do these traditional methods still work the same way? What changes have you noticed in weather patterns?"

Changes in climate patterns:



šŸ› ļø Traditional Solutions and Practices

7. Environmental Protection Practices

Ask: "What did your whānau do to protect and care for the environment? How did you practice kaitiakitanga (guardianship)?"

Traditional conservation practices:




8. Restoration and Healing

Ask: "When the environment was damaged or unhealthy, what did your whānau do to help it recover? What traditional methods were used to heal the land or water?"

Traditional restoration methods:




9. Advice for Today

Ask: "Based on your traditional knowledge, what advice would you give to young people today about caring for the environment? How can we combine old wisdom with new science?"

Their advice for environmental action today:





šŸ™ Closing the Interview Respectfully

10. Gratitude and Next Steps

Say: "Ngā mihi nui (many thanks) for sharing your valuable knowledge with us. This will really help us understand how to care for our environment better."

Ask: "Would you like us to share our environmental project results with you when we're finished? Is there a way we can stay connected or give back to the community?"

How they'd like to stay involved or receive updates:



Present your koha: "We brought this small gift as a token of our respect and gratitude for your time and wisdom."

šŸ“ Reflection Questions

After the interview, reflect on what you learned:

1. What surprised you most about traditional environmental knowledge?



2. How do traditional methods compare with modern scientific approaches?



3. Which traditional practices could help with the environmental problem your team identified?



šŸ”„ Next Steps:
  • Thank the kaumātua with a follow-up note or email
  • Share your notes with your environmental action team
  • Identify which traditional knowledge can inform your project
  • Plan how to integrate mātauranga Māori with scientific approaches
  • Consider inviting the kaumātua to see your final project results