SCIM101-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Science, Maori and Indigenous Knowledge

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

This is an integrated multi-disciplinary course between Aotahi: School of Maori and Indigenous Studies and the College of Science. This course provides a basic understanding of Maori and indigenous peoples’ knowledge in such fields as astronomy, physics, conservation biology, aquaculture, resource management and health sciences. The course provides unique perspectives in indigenous knowledge, western science and their overlap. The course will provide an essential background in cultural awareness and its relationship with today’s New Zealand scientific community.

The course aims to examine Māori and indigenous knowledge from the perspective of their cultures, as well as their relationship and relevance to modern science.

We do this through a number of topics, including:
1. Understanding indigenous knowledge
• Relationship between science and knowledge from western, Māori and indigenous perspectives
• Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge)
• Creation traditions, mythologies and genealogy
• Traditional technologies and science
• Local knowledge and practices
• Traditional environmental (or ecological) knowledge

2. Resource management and partnership - Kaitiakitanga
• Mahinga Kai - resources/food gathering areas
• Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, and the Resource Management Act
• Marine Management Tools - Taiāpure, Mātaitai and Rāhui
• Co-management
• Mana whenua partnership

3. Multidisciplinary - Interactions between Māori and Indigenous communities and science
• Earth Science
• Indigenous peoples, land and heritage sites
• Freshwater issues
• The Moa: what was the cause of its demise?
• Tātai Ārorangi: Astronomy
• Bioethics and cultural issues
• Issues concerning Māori health

Learning Outcomes

  • The course aims to examine Māori and indigenous knowledge from the perspective of their cultures, as well as their relationship and relevance to modern science.

    We do this through a number of topics, including:
    1. Understanding indigenous knowledge
    1. Relationship between science and knowledge from western, Māori and indigenous perspectives
    2. Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge)
    3. Creation traditions, mythologies and genealogy
    4. Traditional technologies and science
    5. Local knowledge and practices
    6. Traditional environmental (or ecological) knowledge
    Related graduate attributes: GP1, GP2 (K1-7), GP4, GP5

    2. Resource management and partnership - Kaitiakitanga
    1. Mahinga Kai - resources/food gathering areas
    2. Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, and the Resource Management Act
    3. Marine Management Tools - Taiāpure, Mātaitai and Rāhui
    4. Co-management
    5. Mana whenua partnership
    Related graduate attributes: GP1, GP2 (K1-7), GP4, GP5

    3. Multidisciplinary - Interactions between Māori and Indigenous communities and science
    1. Earth Science
    2. Indigenous peoples, land and heritage sites
    3. Freshwater issues
    4. The Moa: what was the cause of its demise?
    5. Tātai Ārorangi: Astronomy
    6. Bioethics and cultural issues
    7. Issues concerning Māori health
    Related graduate attributes: GP1, GP2, GP3(K1-7), GP4, GP5

    Graduate Profile | Āhuatanga Taura

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop these UC Graduate Attributes (GP) and Kaupapa (K):

  • GP1 Critically competent in a core academic discipline.
  • GP2 Employable, innovative and enterprising.
  • GP3 Bi-culturally competent and confident:
  • K1 A process of self-reflection on the nature of ‘knowledge’ and ‘norms’
  • K2 The nature of contemporary Māori organisational structures e.g. rūnanga, hapū, iwi, iwi corporations
  • K3 Traditional and contemporary realities of Māori society e.g. tikanga and kawa, te reo Māori
  • K4 The Treaty of Waitangi and Aotearoa New Zealand’s Bicultural history
  • K5 The process of colonisation and globalisation
  • K6 Other Indigenous models of development, knowledge and behaviours
  • K7 Application of bicultural competence and confidence in a chosen discipline and career.
  • GP4 Engagement with community.
  • GP5 Globally aware.

    Transferable skills | Pūkenga ngaio

  • Gain a basic understanding in Māori and indigenous people’s knowledge in astronomy, physics, conservation biology, resource management and health sciences.
    Related graduate attributes: GP1, GP2, GP3 (K1-7), GP5
  • Gain an understanding of protocols that exist between today’s scientific communities, Māori and other indigenous peoples.
    Related graduate attributes: GP1, GP2, GP3 (K1-7), GP4, GP5
  • Provide you with a unique perspective both in indigenous knowledge, western science and their overlap.
    Related graduate attributes: GP1, GP2, GP3 (K1-7), GP4, GP5
  • Provide graduates with an essential background in cultural awareness, increased cultural confidence and its relationship with today’s New Zealand scientific community.
    Related graduate attributes: GP1, GP2, GP3 (K1-7), GP4, GP5

Restrictions

Equivalent Courses

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 12:00 - 13:00 E7 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 13:00 - 14:00 E5 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Field Trip A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Saturday 09:00 - 17:00 - 25 Aug - 31 Aug
02 Sunday 09:00 - 17:00 - 25 Aug - 31 Aug
Tutorial A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 15:00 - 16:00 Beatrice Tinsley 111
21 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
02 Friday 12:00 - 13:00 E6 Lecture Theatre
21 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
03 Thursday 14:00 - 15:00 F1 Lectorial
21 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct

Timetable Note

Field trip | Noho marae
A three-day field trip to Kaikōura has been arranged between Monday 31 August and 2 September. Accommodation will be at Takahanga Marae.  The programme will cover aspects of marine biology and kaitiakitanga of the environment. Attendance on the field trip is encouraged but is not compulsory.

Course Coordinator / Lecturers

John Pirker and Hamuera Kahi

Tutor

Grace Feltham

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,038.00

International fee $5,228.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Biological Sciences .

All SCIM101 Occurrences

  • SCIM101-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025