Volume 76, No. 7
Indigenous knowledge, handed down through generations, articulates one’s worldview and overall being. For the Māori of New Zealand, this is called mātauranga: a unique body of knowledge from a Māori worldview, which incorporates Māori traditional knowledge, language, practices, and culture.
And now, within New Zealand, mātauranga is being recognized as a core component across all science sectors, including Western priorities surrounding environmental, health, social, and economic impact. This commitment to link ancient knowledge with modern science is rooted in Vision Mātauranga, a government policy that in 2007 advocated for Māori to make distinctive contributions to research, science, and technology.
Vision Mātauranga “unlocks the science and innovation potential of Māori knowledge, resources, and people” and remains the guiding policy for the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. This policy is also a founding component for the 11 New Zealand National Science Challenges established in 2014.
This commitment is not without its challenges. The notion of bridging modern science with ancient traditions can be tense.
Recent controversy in New Zealand had a small number of academics note publicly that while “indigenous knowledge may play some role in the preservation of local practices and in management and policy”—it “falls far short of what can be defined as science itself.” They also said mātauranga Māori should not be accepted as an equivalent to science, adding “it may help ... but it is not science.”
The impact these controversies have on day-to-day relationships between the Māori and science can be long term, and the time required to mend and rebuild relationships can be devastating. Yet they have also provided a platform for collaboration to recognize the importance of mātauranga Māori within Western science. It is increasingly a mandatory requirement for funding applications to governmental and nongovernmental organizations to address how they are approaching and incorporating aspects of Vision Mātauranga into their proposals.
The National Science Challenge – High-Value Nutrition/Ko Ngā Kai Whai Painga is intentionally structured to include both a co-chair Māori role and Vision Mātauranga leader. The Challenge works with Māori business and taonga (treasured) Māori species and provides a central place for business, mātauranga, and science to work together.
Take for example, Atutahi, a lightly carbonated range of drinks created by Kiwi Kai Ltd. that uses Aotearoa New Zealand native leaf (Horopito, Kumarahou, and Kawakawa). Māori have used these leaves to enhance health or treat minor ailments for generations. It is only now, through projects such as this, that this knowledge is being recognized and brought together with new scientific methods to validate health outcomes and inform future innovation, regulatory systems, and the potential for growth of Māori-owned businesses. The project enables this company to combine mātauranga Māori practices with Western science to lead, create, and deliver high-value New Zealand native leaf–derived beverages.
Our commitment to bringing together indigenous knowledge and Western science manifests in other efforts, as well:
Ours is just one specific example of bridging the divide. But New Zealand is not alone in its treasure of ancient knowledge and traditions. Similar opportunities await around the globe. What will you do to support similar dialogue and collaboration? What ancient knowledge are you ready to explore?
The opinions expressed in Dialogue are those of the authors.
The editors at Food Technology magazine, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), have announced their predictions for the hottest food trends for 2022.
While canning is commonplace today, for that generation of food technologists it was a paradigmatic example of the power of science to change food for the better.
In October 2021, the FDA released new voluntary guidance on sodium reduction with the overarching goal of reducing consumption by 12% over the next two-and-a-half years.
What changes have occurred in the way Canadians perceive cannabis since it was legalized there in 2018? How do Canadian and U.S. consumers of cannabis and edibles compare?
It’s a new era for the agribusiness giant, and Leticia Gonçalves, president of global foods, is well equipped to help guide the company’s reinvention as a more consumer-focused, value-added organization.
IFT 2022-2023 President Chris Downs discusses IFT’s response to the White House Conference on Hunger Nutrition and Health.
A reflection on World Food Day by IFT President Chris Downs.
University of Manitoba’s Michael Eskin, the recipient of IFT’s 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award in Honor of Nicolas Appert, talks about 55 years of edible oil research, the development of canola oil, and his side gig as a food science rap artist.
An Oxford debate at this year’s IFT FIRST: Annual Event & Expo tackled the health impacts of processed foods, the legitimacy of NOVA food classification, even the language framing the debate itself.
IFT’s Anna Rosales attended the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. Here are her key takeaways.
Two IFT members reflect on how resource groups help them promote diversity and inclusion on the job.
Tune in to the IFT FIRST on-demand content channel and hear from experts and innovators who are making big impacts.
A few simple steps are all it takes to keep school lunches not only tasty but safe, says IFT’s food safety expert Sara Bratager.
