Weaving indigenous climate adaptation : Māori experiences, actions and intergenerational futures : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Emergency Management at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract

This thesis examines how Kāi Tahu ki Murihiku (Ngāi Tahu of Southland) whānau (families) experience and address climate change. It develops an Indigenous led framework for adaptation grounded in whakapapa (genealogy), kaitiakitaka (stewardship), and mokopuna-centred futures (grandchildren centred futures). The study asks how climate change impacts are experienced and addressed by Takata Whenua (Indigenous Peoples) in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Methodologically, it advances Te Kahu Huruhuru o Kohikohi (the feather cloak of Kohikohi), a kaupapa Māori (Māori principles) narrative bricolage that weaves interviews, hui (gatherings), pūrākau (traditional narratives), policy texts, and scientific data within a kaupapa Māori ethical framework. Qualitative materials include 20 interviews with Kāi Tahu leaders, knowledge holders, and practitioners, supported by multi-level policy analysis. The analysis shows that while Indigenous emergency management and climate governance can be effective, Indigenous knowledge is often marginalised or extracted within dominant disaster risk reduction and adaptation systems. In Aotearoa, Māori climate responses draw on mātauraka (knowledge), iwi (tribe) and hapū (sub-tribe) planning documents, kaitiakitaka, and long-standing governance practices, yet institutions frequently fail to recognise Māori values, authority, and sovereignty. These dynamics provide the backdrop for the study’s conceptual and empirical contributions. Two conceptual tools are offered. The Indigecene describes climate research as an epistemic setting where Indigenous knowledge is treated as supplementary rather than sovereign. The kupeka (fishing net) metaphor adapts Callon’s theory of framing (bracketing in), externalities, and overflows (bracketing out) to show how technocratic systems recognise metrics while excluding whakapapa, cosmogeny, and Māori governance. Together, these tools enable symmetrical science, a collaborative approach that gives equal analytic and ethical weight to Māori and Western epistemologies. Findings identify four interwoven strands of impact: physical, relational, cultural, and emotional. Whānau describe storms, erosion, and species shifts, alongside socio-ecological and genealogical links to te ao tūroa (the natural world). They reflected on pressures on intergenerational mātauraka, with emotional responses ranging from grief to resilient hope. These narratives also reveal adaptive strategies shaped by whakapapa, ahi kā (continued occupation), and mokopuna centred responsibilities. Government and mainstream-centred adaptation often produces cultural externalities such as dispossession, weakened customary authority, and epistemic extractivism. By contrast, Indigenous-led initiatives, including biocultural restoration, co-governance, strategic partnerships, and whānau entrepreneurship, reinforce decision rights, identity security, and long-term adaptive capacity. Implications are identified for research, policy, institutions, practice, and communities. The thesis advances priorities for Indigenous led methodologies, symmetrical science, and mana whenua leadership across climate and hazard governance, alongside long horizon partnerships that align with intergenerational responsibilities. It calls for the embedding of Indigenous Data Sovereignty and the development of symmetrical monitoring systems. These include Māori indicators (such as mauri (life force)), mahika kai (customary food gathering), and maramataka or tohu (lunar calendars and environmental signs)) alongside mainstream technical metrics. The findings further highlight the need for coherent implementation pathways, sustained resourcing, and governance arrangements that move beyond short term, project based inclusion. The thesis argues that just and effective adaptation in Aotearoa requires a shift from procedural participation toward Indigenous led governance and whakapapa centred, intergenerational climate futures.