Waikereru Wild Lab - Tiaki Taiao
The purpose of this project is to engage young people and their families in a quest to understand what has happened to local ecosystems since human arrival, and to restore them to a state of ora (health, well-being).
Informed by leading experts in scientific disciplines and experts in Māori ancestral knowledge, creative educators have designed interactive workshops for young people and adults which are delivered by inspiring learning facilitators.
Mātauranga (ancestral knowledge), Science, Arts and Technology are taken into the wilderness, resulting in real world, immersive learning that is vivid and unforgettable.
In the initial development phase the program was collaboratively designed and trialled by Jarratt Create & Educate and the Longbush Ecological Trust with the support of costume designer Brighde Penn. It is being delivered and further developed by Two Hands Consultancy and the Longbush Ecological Trust. The project is funded by The Air New Zealand Environmental Trust. Te Mātaioho are proud to join this exciting venture to further explore the development of Mātauranga Māori into the program.
The aim is to foster a deeper understanding of ecosystems among local people, and how to work with rivers, forests and the sea in ways that generate prosperity while treading lightly on the land.
People are part of these ecosystems, and without transforming their understandings of them, it will be difficult (and perhaps impossible) to restore these living systems to a state of ora (health, well-being, prosperity).