Traditional Weather Research
Unit 9 · Week 3 · Field Methods & Mātauranga Māori
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga · Learning Intentions
- Identify place-based traditional weather knowledge held by tangata whenua
- Apply a respectful, protocol-aware research method to gather indigenous ecological knowledge
- Compare traditional weather indicators (tohu) with Western meteorological approaches
- Critically evaluate how different knowledge systems can complement each other
Paearu Angitu · Success Criteria
- I can name at least three traditional weather indicators relevant to my local area
- I can describe appropriate research protocols for engaging with mātauranga Māori
- I can complete a knowledge-source table with evidence and source details
- I can explain how one tohu connects to a scientific explanation
Hononga Marautanga · Curriculum Alignment
Communicating in science — engaging with knowledge systems; Understanding about science — recognising diverse ways of knowing the natural world.
Exploring how organisms interact with their environment; understanding seasonal and climatic patterns as ecological drivers.
⚠️ Tikanga Māori Research Protocol — Read This First
Traditional weather knowledge is taonga tūturu — treasured ancestral knowledge. When researching this topic:
- Seek guidance from your teacher before approaching a kaumātua or whānau source
- Always ask for permission before recording or sharing knowledge shared with you
- Attribute knowledge correctly — note the person, hapū, or rohe it comes from
- Do not publish specific karakia or sacred knowledge without permission from the knowledge holder
- Approach community members with humility (māia) and genuine curiosity, not extraction
- If local confirmation is unavailable today, use published iwi sources or teacher-approved resources
Wāhanga 1 · Knowledge Sources Research
Research traditional weather knowledge using the approved sources below. For each indicator (tohu) you find, record it in the table.
Approved Research Pathways
- Te Ara — The Encyclopedia of NZ (iwi sections)
- Maramataka guides approved by your teacher
- Whānau / community members (with teacher guidance)
- Published iwi environmental management plans
- NZ Ministry for the Environment mātauranga resources
What to Look For (Tohu)
- Bird behaviour (e.g. tūī, pīpīwharauroa)
- Plant indicators (flowering, seeding times)
- Sky and cloud patterns
- Wind direction and seasonal shifts
- Ocean / stream conditions
- Insect activity cycles
| Tohu (Indicator) | What it signals | Source / Origin | Rohe / Region | Permission status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Wāhanga 2 · Taha Rua — Two Ways of Knowing
Both mātauranga Māori and Western meteorology describe weather patterns. They use different frameworks but can tell us complementary things.
🌡️ Western Meteorology
- Uses instruments: thermometers, barometers, satellites
- Data collected over standardised, consistent time periods
- Focus on measurable physical variables (pressure, temperature, humidity)
- Short-range (1–7 day) and long-range (seasonal) forecasting models
- Published via MetService, NIWA
🌿 Mātauranga Māori (Maramataka)
- Uses ecological indicators: plants, birds, moon phases
- Accumulated over many generations of careful observation
- Embeds knowledge in cultural, spiritual, and relational frameworks
- Place-specific — differs by rohe and hapū
- Transmitted through oral tradition and whakapapa
| Question for comparison | Western approach says… | Mātauranga Māori says… |
|---|---|---|
| How is a season identified? | ||
| How is rain predicted? | ||
| Who holds / validates the knowledge? |
Wāhanga 3 · Tūhura Hōhonu — Deep Dive on One Tohu
Choose one tohu from your research table and explore it more deeply. Answer each question below.
1. Name and describe the tohu you chose:
2. What weather or seasonal change does it indicate, and how reliable is it?
3. What scientific explanation could support or challenge this tohu? (Think: what biological or meteorological mechanism might be involved?)
4. What does it tell us that a weather forecast app cannot tell us?
Wāhanga 4 · Whakaaro Hoki — Reflection
5. During your research, did you encounter any situations where you were unsure whether it was appropriate to record or share knowledge? What did you do (or what should you do)?
6. What would you do next to deepen this research? Who would you want to speak with, and what would you ask?
Rārangi Āta — Research Readiness Checklist
Before you begin your research, confirm each step:
- I have read the Tikanga Protocol box at the top of this handout
- I have identified which research pathway(s) I will use today
- I have checked with my teacher before approaching any community members
- I know how to attribute knowledge correctly (person, hapū, rohe)
- I understand I should not share sacred or restricted knowledge without permission
- I have thought of at least one question to explore before I start
Aronga Mātauranga Māori
The Maramataka is not simply a "Māori weather forecast" — it is a living framework of ecological, spiritual, and relational knowledge accumulated over generations of careful observation of te taiao (the natural world). When we engage with it respectfully, we recognise that tangata whenua hold sophisticated and site-specific environmental expertise that cannot be extracted, commodified, or separated from its cultural context.
The concept of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) shapes how this knowledge is held and shared: knowledge is a responsibility, not merely information.
Ngā Rauemi Tautoko · Support Materials
Resources already provided:
- Teacher-approved Maramataka resource list (on class site)
- Te Ara iwi research guide (linked on class site)
- Unit 9 glossary — mātauranga Māori terms (distributed Week 1)
- Research protocol card (laminated copy at each table)
Aronga Rerekē · Differentiated Pathways
Tīmata · Entry Level
Focus on two tohu from the approved resource list provided. Complete rows 1–2 of the knowledge sources table. Answer questions 1, 2, and 5 only.
Paerewa · On Level
Complete the knowledge sources table with four tohu. Answer all six reflection questions. Complete the two-ways-of-knowing comparison table.
Tūāpae · Extension
Complete all sections. Extension challenge: Find a published scientific study that investigated the ecological mechanism behind one traditional tohu. Write a one-paragraph synthesis that explains how both knowledge systems illuminate each other — and where their frameworks are genuinely incommensurable.