Project Leader(s) Dr Karen Greig (University of Otago)
Project Team Professor Richard Walter, Dr Jenny Rock, Sally Carson, Dr Nicola Litchfield, Mr Richard Woods, Stella August, Wikitoria Moore, Edith Tuhimata, Dr Matthew Campbell
This project addresses the potential loss of coastal heritage places arising from sea-level rise and climate change and the implications for wellbeing and community resilience in case study locations in three regions: the Kaipara Harbour and Awhitu Peninsula (West Auckland), Cape Kidnappers and Kairakau (Central Hawkes Bay) and Rakiura and the Catlins (Southland). This project builds on existing collaborations with the Ngati Kahungunu, Kairakau Lands Trust, Kāi Tahu and developing relationships with Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara and Ngāti Te Ata. The aims of the project are to build capacity for iwi, hapū and coastal communities to take a leadership role in coastal heritage risk management, to enable and enhance the exercise of kaitiakitanga over culturally important coastal places, and to increase participation in science and research activities. The project team will design a risk management framework for coastal heritage places in the study locations by integrating archaeological data and cultural values with existing environmental datasets, to inform the development and implementation of a new values-based assessment tool. We will explore the cultural and social values of places, and the connections between people and place through innovative community-based social arts practice, comprising collaborative art making events and exhibitions. The team will work with iwi, hapū and communities to develop digital mapping methods for capturing and sharing monitoring data, oral tradition, narratives and diverse multi-media information about people’s connections with coastal places and the marine environment.
