New Maori Fund - Pre-Budget Announcement
New fund will help retain and promote Matauranga Maori, customary Maori knowledge about nature
Conservation and Associate Maori Affairs Minister Sandra Lee says an additional $2.35 million has been set aside over five years for Maori to develop appropriate frameworks to preserve customary knowledge about nature, Matauranga Maori. Ms Lee said the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy identified the under-use and on-going loss of customary Maori knowledge about nature as key issues that needed to be addressed in order to achieve the Strategy's goals.
"A wealth of knowledge about our indigenous biological diversity is in danger of disappearing forever with the deaths of knowledgeable kaumatua and kuia," Ms Lee said. "The new funding will enable the crown to work with appropriate Maori experts during the next five years, to develop an appropriate framework for the retention and promotion of Matauranga Maori, with the knowledge remaining as the property of the particular iwi or hapu."
Ms Lee said the
clear message that many Maori made in submissions on the
draft Biodiversity Strategy was that lack of funding in the
past had constrained them from active involvement in
conservation initiatives and preservation of Matauranga
Maori. "This new fund will help to address that need," she
said.
"New Zealand's indigenous biodiversity is facing
new threats all the time, so Maori also need funding support
to acquire new skills to allow them to continue playing an
effective role in managing our native animals and plants,
and their habitats," Ms Lee said. "This funding will enable
greater iwi and hapu participation in active management of
our biodiversity."
The Conservation Minister said the new
Matauranga Maori fund would be administered by the existing
committee for the Nga Whenua Rahui Fund, the fund set up to
enable Maori to protect their land. She said year one
funding of $40,000 would be used to put in place the
required arrangements to administer the new fund, year two
funding of $315,000 would include some grants, while the
following three years have been allocated $665,000 each
year, mainly for
grants.