Kia Whakanuia te Whenua is both a celebration and a call to action – to honour our land and to rekindle creative, respectful ways of living with Her. We hear the cry of Papatūānuku:
Piki mai, kake mai
Hōmai te waiora ki ahau
Kia tutehu ana te moe a
te kuia i te pō
Ka pō, ka ao, ka awatea!
Climb here, draw near
Bring me the water of life
The sleep of this old woman
has been troubled in the night
But the dawn has come, it is day, it is light!
This Māori-led work presents a rich collection of visual essays, papers, poetry and polemics that challenge the way we think about environment, land and landscape in a changing world: te ao hurihuri. Its aim is to advocate for the land, to oust complacency.
Kia Whakanuia te Whenua seeks to stimulate interdisciplinary thinking and knowledge. It is critical reading for planners, policymakers, students and practitioners in land and water management, and for those who are willing to listen to the land and what it can teach us.
