New Series Celebrates Maori Innovation In Science

Publicity Release

Thursday August 2 2012

New Series Celebrates Maori Innovation In Science

Growing ginseng in a pine forest is just one of the many Maori scientific innovations to feature on PROJECT MATAURANGA, a new science series starting soon on Maori Television.

Presented by Victoria University lecturer Dr Ocean Mercier, the 13-part series premieres on Tuesday, 14 August at 8.00pm.

PROJECT MATAURANGA looks at the growth of Maori worldviews within the scientific community and celebrates the people and ideas that are giving our country an edge in the world of science.

Formatted around the structure of an experiment, each episode begins with a problem, followed by a method that has been developed to solve the problem.

Step-by-step, viewers will see the problems resolved, revealing in everyday language how Western science and Maori knowledge systems are combining to provide solutions.

Dr Mercier says Maori have always been scientists and continue to be scientists.

“Our brand of science maybe a little different from Western science but nonetheless it allowed us to work in the world, to be in the world, to live in the world, to survive in the world for generations and thousands of years,” she says.

Other innovations to feature in the series include:

- Te Rarawa and Auckland Museum using 3D imaging to return taonga to iwi for long periods while allowing the museum to exhibit a three dimensional replica

- Re-establishing the kuia (grey-faced petrel) population on Moutohora (Whale) Island for harvesting

- Restoring the freshwater environment of the Utakura River

- Assessing the effect of geothermal activity on wild kai in the Te Arawa region

Tune in to PROJECT MATAURANGA from Tuesday, August 14 at 8.00pm for an entertaining and informative half hour of television.

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