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Thesis: Understanding The Potential Exposure of Coastal Marae And Urupā In Aotearoa New Zealand To Sea Level Rise

Emerging scholar Akuhata Bailey-Winiata, in a Masters of Science thesis, explores the vulnerability of coastal marae to sea-level rise and flooding events.


In Aotearoa New Zealand, Māori are Indigenous and have inhabited these islands for the past 700 years. They have an intricate physical and spiritual connection to places and the environment. This is reflected in the Māori creation story, where Ranginui (sky father) and Papatūānuku (Earth mother) are the ancestral parents of Māori. Between these two gods is the marae, the Māori meeting house. Marae are where the domestic life of Māori traditionally ran its course, with marae being an overarching term to illustrate multiple buildings which each have a specific role to play within the community. Often, marae have an associated urupā (burial ground). Historically, marae and their associated urupā are positioned along the low-lying coast, providing easy access to kaimoana (sea food), transport and trade. However, coastal marae and urupā are at an increasing threat of inundation and erosion from sea level rise, and will also be impacted by other effects of climate change such as drought and other changes to weather patterns such as storms.



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