Moa Money, Moa Problems – By Kahurangi Malcolm

Authored by husband and wife - Kahurangi Malcolm and Tame Malcolm

Our economy in Aotearoa relies strongly on our environment. Agriculture commodities such as meat, fruit and vegetables, dairy products and forest products, is the foundation of our economy. Forecasts for this year alone expect an export revenue of $50 billion.

The marriage between the economy and the environment is nothing new. Prior to European arrival, Māori traded using the taonga from the environment. With well-established bartering systems and regular trading patterns amongst whānau and hapū, within the larger Iwi structure, and between different Iwi, it is fair to say our ancestors were entrepreneurial by nature. The Māori economy was robust, diverse, and active and our tūpuna understood how to utilize local niche taonga to meet neighboring Iwi demands. From greenstone in Te Waipounamu (South Island) to kaimoana (seafood) in coastal regions, as well as an array of manu (birds) from around the motu (country).

For example, Moa was in high demand and was a staple meat. It was a large bird and a hearty source of protein. There were nine species of Moa, the largest being over 12 feet tall and over 200kg. The different species were hunted and traded amongst Iwi in Aotearoa and was also sent back to the Polynesian homelands on waka. International trade routes with the Pacific Islands began long before the arrival of Europeans, demonstrating our long-established export history and expert navigation and voyaging abilities.

Accordingly, Māori soon began to realise that Moa were not like the migratory birds that had previously made up their diet on the Pacific islands. And, unlike migratory birds that return each season, once the Moa population declined, there was no bringing them back.

With the demise and extinction of the Moa came the first major economic shock for Māori in Aotearoa. Korero tuku iho (oral history) tells us that once the Moa population had gone and could no longer be exported to the Pacific islands, our tuakana from the Islands voyaged to Aotearoa to find out why their demand for Moa could not be met.

John Megahan / Wikimedia Commons

The extinction of the Moa had many flow-on effects, not just on the economy of our tūpuna, but on the ecosystem as well. The most severe impact being on the extinction of the Pouakai (Haast Eagle). The Pouakai was the largest known eagle not only in Aotearoa, but in the world. With a wingspan of 2-3 metres and claws like those of a tiger, it was an apex predator of the sky. It swooped down and preyed on the flightless Moa with ease. The Poaukai relied on this food source, and as a result of the Moa going extinct, so too did the Pouakai. A tragedy that clearly wasn’t just economic, but environmental. We are reminded about this travesty through whakatauki. “Rite ki te Moa, ka ngaro” (Just like the moa, it will be lost).

The loss of the Moa and Pouakai saw our tūpuna swiftly establish sustainable practices for harvesting and managing resources. This involved seasonal diets and the common use of rahui to allow taonga to replenish. Furthermore, trading between tribes using seasonal food sources not only strengthened this growing economy, but also ensured the health of the environment would be maintained. This way of trading was embedded over hundreds of years before the arrival Europeans.

European arrival in the late 1700’s brought new economic opportunities, as well as new mindsets and perspectives. There was a drive for individual wealth, stature and power. The deep care for the environment, sustainable ways of harvesting, and practices to avoid environmental degradation were slowly forgotten. There was a common European view that any conservation efforts would be wasted as non-native animals would eventually dominate by natural selection.

Although in modern times conservation efforts mean we may not hunt endemic birds to the point of extinction in Aotearoa, there are plenty of examples that show that the environment still suffers at the hands of profit seekers. For example, Matukutūruru, a maunga (mountain) that once stood next to his twin brother Matukutūreia in Manukau was completely quarried to the ground for its rock, which was used to build our roads. Iron sands from burial grounds at Maioro in Waiuku are still mined today to create steel for New Zealand infrastructure. Of course, we can't forget the whenua taurikura (sacred lands) of Ihumātao which was purposefully sold to create housing. Most recently, we see Auckland's dire need to pump billions of liters of water from the Waikato river each year.

These examples of environmental pillaging for human benefit has been our business as usual. The tales of the Moa, Pouakai and Matukutūruru in Manukau are bleak reminders of that.

But have we learnt our lesson? Or has the taonga being targeted just changed from manu to other resources that creates wealth?

There is a clear need to move from this ‘business as usual’ to a cleaner, greener economy where the environment is not degraded for human comfort. Because if we don’t, “Rite ki te Moa, ka ngaro” (Just like the moa, it will be lost).

About the Authors - Tame Malcolm and Kahurangi Malcolm

Tame and Kahurangi are a married couple who work in the environmental and economic development fields. They are proud parents of Te Rua o Kaiwhare Ohomairangi Malcolm.

Kahurangi is from Ngaati Te Ata and Te Waiariki. She was schooled in total immersion Māori at Te Raki o Pukekohe and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Waiuku. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Master’s in Business Administration and completed her research on Māori Economic Development. She previously worked for Waikato’s Economic Development Agency supporting business growth and Māori Economic initiative, Amotai Supplier Diversity NZ. Kahurangi is now Intrapreneur - Maori outcomes with The Southern Initiative.

Kahurangi is passionate about systemic change and loves seeing Māori businesses succeed.

Tame is from Ngati Tarawhai, Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Ngararanui, Tapuika, Ngati Ruanui. He grew up in Rotorua learning tikanga and matauranga about the bush from his parents and wider whanau. He has spent his entire career in pest management where he helps protect, restore and enhance the health of our forests. He has a Bachelor of Science, Master’s in Business Administration and is part way through his PhD where his thesis is on matauranga for mammalian predator management.