The role of science in addressing sustainability and well-being can be strengthened when it engages meaningfully with Indigenous peoples and their knowledge. In post-colonial contexts, this requires recognising that knowledge systems are embedded within power structures, and that research must be approached in ways that respect Indigenous authority, aspirations, and ways of knowing. As Linda Tuiwai Smith (1999) has argued, decolonising methodologies require moving beyond research that has historically served colonial interests, towards approaches that are ethical, reciprocal, and useful for Indigenous peoples. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN 2007) affirms the rights of Indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their institutions, cultures, and traditions, and to shape development in line with their needs and aspirations.
In Kia pono te mahi putaiao—doing science in the right spirit (Allen et al. 2009), my co-authors and I reflected on how science can best support communities in sustainability and well-being efforts. This requires genuine, long-term relationships between researchers and Indigenous communities. The paper also highlights the importance of embedding science in cultural contexts, building trust, and ensuring research respects “the custom of the house or the land you are in.”
I approach this page as a learner, sharing resources that have helped me reflect on how to engage with Indigenous knowledge respectfully in my own work. These links point to key discussions around Indigenous knowledge, co-management, decolonising research, and fostering equitable partnerships in environmental stewardship.
Navigating towards marine co-management with Indigenous communities on-board the Waka-Taurua
This paper by Kimberley Maxwell and colleagues (2020) explore how Indigenous-Māori and broader New Zealand societal values can be integrated into a marine co-management framework. They introduce the Waka-Taurua (double-canoe) framework as a tool for facilitating structured and equitable discussions that incorporate both kaitiakitanga (Māori guardianship) and ecosystem-based management (EBM).
Challenges on the path to Treaty-based Local Government relationships
Maria Bargh (2020) in Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online examines key challenges for Māori engagement in Local Government in this paper, including attitudes towards Treaty partnerships, the establishment of Māori wards, and the lack of comprehensive data on Māori participation. The paper highlights structural and policy challenges that shape governance relationships.
Moving beyond the human-nature dichotomy through biocultural approaches: including ecological well-being in resilience indicators
In this paper, Sophie Caillon and colleagues (2017) argue that conservation strategies should recognise human and ecological well-being as interconnected. They explore how biocultural approaches, grounded in Indigenous worldviews, offer more inclusive and resilient frameworks for managing social-ecological systems.
Mātauranga Māori: shaping marine and freshwater futures
Joanne Clapcott and colleagues (2018) use this paper to discuss mātauranga Māori as a distinct knowledge system with Polynesian origins in this paper. It explores how Māori identity, resource management, and kaitiakitanga (guardianship) are interwoven and highlights guiding principles for integrating Māori perspectives into marine and freshwater governance.
Factors that support Indigenous involvement in multi-actor environmental stewardship
Nicholas Reo, Kyle Whyte, Deborah McGregor, MA (Peggy) Smith and James Jenkins (2017) in AlterNative identify six key factors influencing Indigenous participation in environmental stewardship. This paper examines the role of respect for Indigenous knowledge, intergenerational involvement, self-determination, and continuous cross-cultural education in fostering more inclusive and effective partnerships.
Indigenous knowledge, methodology and mayhem: What is the role of methodology in producing Indigenous insights? A discussion from mātauranga Māori
In this paper, Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Te Kahautu Maxwell, Haupai Puke and Pou Temara (2016) explore how Indigenous knowledge, particularly mātauranga Māori, challenges conventional research methodologies. They argue that Indigenous knowledge occupies a different epistemological space from traditional academic disciplines, requiring approaches that respect its distinct foundations.
Managing beyond designations: supporting endogenous processes for nurturing biocultural development
J. Marina Apgar, James M. Ataria and Will J. Allen (2011) argue in this paper that conservation models should move beyond externally imposed designations and support Indigenous self-determination and biocultural diversity. Using case studies from Panama and Aotearoa, they illustrate how place-based governance sustains Indigenous well-being.
Decolonising research methodologies: lessons from a qualitative research project, Cape Town, South Africa
This paper by Mpoe Johannah Keikelame and Leslie Swartz (2019) in Global Health Action examine how research methodologies affect Indigenous health outcomes. They call for participatory and culturally appropriate approaches that respect Indigenous knowledge, assets, and autonomy in health research.
This page does not attempt to define Indigenous knowledge or speak on behalf of Indigenous communities. Rather, it serves as a collection of resources that have informed my own learning on how to engage with Indigenous knowledge and methodologies in respectful and meaningful ways. I welcome feedback on additional readings or perspectives that may help refine and deepen this understanding.