Manaaki-Whenua - the Meaning and the Ethos
Māori are the indigenous people of Aoteoroa (New Zealand), and the Māori name for Landcare Research is Manaaki Whenua. Manaaki means to cherish, conserve, and sustain. Whenua encompasses the soil, rocks, plants, animals and the people inhabiting the land - the tangata whenua. People are linked physically and spiritually to the land - it is the earth through which we are connected to our ancestors and all the generations that will come after us. Whenua is the place were we stand.
We need to respect the land and all that is important to its well-being. We need to cherish the natural diversity of species, but we need the land to produce food. We need to use land to meet all our everyday needs but we need to dispose of our waste carefully. We must think of the consequences of our activities on the environment.
Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research is seeking to understand the land, how to use it and how it keep it in good health. With better care of our resources, the land will prosper and benefit all who stand on it. We must ensure the land is worth leaving to our children.
Manaaki Whenua - Manaaki Tangata
care for the land - care for the people