Hōhā Riha: Pest Insect Control in Māori Tradition

Authors

Keywords:

Māori, mātauranga Māori ‘Māori knowledge’, whakataukī ‘proverbs’, pests, insects, anthropods, pest management

Abstract

Ongoing Māori connections to natural environments mean that tangata whenua ‘people of the land’ and mātauranga Māori ‘Māori knowledge’ must be key to identifying, designing and advancing national conservation strategies, including health of native species and making decisions about pest control. We revisit whakataukī ‘Māori proverbs’ and early ethnographic texts to explore how so-called pest insects were traditionally viewed by Māori. What species did Māori consider to be pests prior to European arrival? How were these managed? Was eradication a goal? Were insects ever considered riha ‘pests’ in “wild”, non-cultivated environments? We review accounts of damaging insects and their management strategies, which included extraction by hand, poisons, use of karakia ‘incantations’, fire and even biocontrol. These findings are reported within a hōhā riha ‘bothersome pests’ typology, indicating degrees of “pestiness”. Māori were pragmatic, turning “pests” into resources for other purposes. Māori were observers and participants in ecosystems, and many whakataukī link human behaviour to troublesome insects. We comment upon whakapapa ‘genealogy’ as an inclusive system of biodiversity and discuss Māori conceptions of “wilderness”.

Author Biographies

Ocean Ripeka Mercier, Ngāti Porou; Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington

Ocean Ripeka Mercier (Ngāti Porou) is an Associate Professor at Te Kawa a Māui School of Māori Studies at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. Her teaching explores convergences of mātauranga Māori ‘Māori knowledge’ and science to support Māori resource management. Her current research examines how mātauranga and science can support environmental health in three different domains: forests, oceans and groundwater. Ocean has been a television presenter for Project Mātauranga and Coast New Zealand, and for her science communication work has received the New Zealand Association of Scientists Cranwell Medal and the Royal Society Te Apārangi Callaghan Medal.

Symon Palmer, Ngāi Te Rangi; Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington

Symon Palmer (Ngāi Te Rangi) is a Research Fellow at Te Kawa a Māui School of Māori Studies at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. He co-leads the Novel Tools and Strategies research theme as part of the Biological Heritage Challenge and co-leads the early-career network Ngā Pī Ka Rere.

Alan King-Hunt, Te Kawa a Māui; Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Alan King-Hunt (Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Te Oro) is a researcher at Te Kawa a Māui School of Māori Studies at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. Alan has co-authored four journal publications and is completing his master’s in Māori Studies exploring Māori perspectives on biotechnological controls for introduced social wasps. Additional research projects have focused on the performance of local councils in meeting their statutory obligations to Māori, the potential of augmented reality programs as a mode for representing Māori narratives, and examining historical oral and written accounts for evidence of customary pest-control methods. Alan has a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Māori Studies. 

Published

2022-11-24 — Updated on 2022-12-05