Pupū Ake te Whenua: Monitoring the cultural health of the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer

<p dir="ltr"><b>Cultural health monitoring of freshwater environments has emerged in Aotearoa over the last three decades as an effective approach to revitalising Māori knowledge and strengthening the kaitiakitanga of whānau, hapū and iwi Māori in their rohe. During this same time period new groundwater monitoring and modelling methods have led to improved understandings of the diversity and sensitivity of groundwater systems in Aotearoa. Whilst cultural health monitoring is increasingly being used across a range of different environments and regions in Aotearoa, there has still been limited application for aquifers.</b></p><p dir="ltr">This thesis explores the possibilities of cultural health monitoring of an aquifer in Aotearoa by focusing on the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer located in the Tākaka catchment. This aquifer feeds Te Puna Waiora o Te Waikoropupū, a wāhi tapu for the three manawhenua iwi in the rohe of Mohua; Ngāti Tama; Te Ātiawa and Ngāti Rārua. Te Waikoropupū and the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer have recently been granted a Water Conservation Order for their protection, the first time for an aquifer and a spring. A key requirement of the Order is for manawhenua to develop and implement a cultural health monitoring programme for the catchment.</p><p dir="ltr">This research contributes to this requirement by collaboratively considering some of the complexities and challenges associated with understanding the flows and encounters of wai through the Tākaka catchment and Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer ki uta ki tai. By incorporating a range of different data such as hydrological reports, archival texts, pūrākau, kōrero tuku iho and ecological reports I explore the historical context of the catchment and how the relationships with wai have changed over time. Through working alongside manawhenua and other knowledge holders in the area I have identified the key interface zones within the recharge area of the aquifer that could be used for cultural health monitoring purposes. The research culminates in a list of considerations for cultural health monitoring of the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer related to site selection, methods and tohu for monitoring.</p><p dir="ltr">Ultimately, this research contributes to the broader academic discourse on cultural health monitoring in Aotearoa, offering insights and methodologies that may benefit the kaitiakitanga of other whānau, hapū and iwi with aquifers in their rohe.</p>