SYMP 20-1 - Te mauri o te kererū – Exploring the cultural keystone species concept as a basis for biocultural forest management by Māori in Aotearoa-New Zealand

The human impact on the environment over the last century is driving biodiversity to unprecedented levels of loss at a scale and rate never seen before in human history. This rapid transformation of land, freshwater, marine ecosystems not only threatens biodiversity, but also erodes human social, cultural, and economic capital and degrades individual and community well-being. In addition, human systems linked to globalization, capitalism, and colonialism threaten Indigenous Peoples sovereignty, cultural heritage and relationships to the environment. In this study, we explore the context and opportunity for the biocultural construct of ‘cultural keystone species’ to reverse the decline of biological and cultural diversity.
For Indigenous Peoples, cultural keystone species, play an essential part in shaping and characterizing the identity of both place and people who rely on them. The species’ often hold key roles within societies, frequently meeting the dietary, medicinal, clothing, material, and/or fuel requirements of life. Beyond basic provisions, cultural keystone species are also embedded into local traditions, stories and narratives, ceremonies and language vocabulary. These species are therefore central to supporting the quality and preservation of community structure, customary practices, linguistic diversity and knowledge retention, regeneration, and transfer. Importantly, the concept of cultural keystone species places the relationship and knowledge Indigenous Peoples have of a species at the centre of decision-making and action for the environment and community.
In this study, we explore how core Māori cultural constructs such as whakapapa (connection), mauri (life force), mana (prestige), ihi (vitality), wairua (spirituality) and tapu (sacredness) define a cultural keystone species relationship between Tūhoe and the kererū (native fruit pigeon, Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) in Aotearoa-New Zealand. We then go further to explore how this relationship can form the basis to new biocultural system for safe-guarding the environment, while realising Indigenous sovereignty and revitalising cultural heritage.