Māori concepts for animal ethics

A Māori worldview sees all animals as related to humans through shared whakapapa and therefore being ethically significant and worthy of respect from humans.

Animals as well as humans are descendants of ngā atua and as such are considered to have their own mana and tapu.

This collection brings together resources that explore animal ethics with a kaupapa Māori approach.

Māori concepts for animal ethics resources were developed by Professor Georgina Tuari Stewart (Ngāti Kura, Ngāpuhi-nui-tonu, Pare Hauraki), Auckland University of Technology, and Dr Sally Birdsall, University of Auckland).

This information was originally published in Anthrozoös, 37(1), 1–17. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08927936.2024.2389645#abstract

This article brings together the extensive suite of resources to support learning about animal ethics via a kaupapa Māori approach.

It is a 'one stop shop' and a useful way to navigate your way around the site.... Expand note

Watch this recorded webinar presented by Dr Georgina Tuari Stewart. It provides an overview of the research and resources looking at Māori concepts for animal ethics.

Collection resource curation

Resources in this collection are curated as follows:

  • Articles and media specifically about Māori concepts for animal ethics.
  • Articles that profile six Māori practitioners who work in a diversity of fields involving live animals.
  • Inspirational videos that capture the thoughts and insights of three of these practitioners.
  • Classroom activities for ākonga.
  • Images to stimulate discussions.
  • Additional resources.

Articles and media about Māori concepts for animal ethics

Articles profiling six Māori practitioners who work in a diversity of fields involving live animals.

Click to add note

Inspirational videos featuring Dr Kimiora Hēnare, Dr Leilani Walker and Professor Eloise Jillings.

Learning activities for ākonga

The Hub provides student activities to support learning/thinking about animal ethics. They are literacy rich – using information from the articles and interactives.

Using images to spark discussion

The following images include questions designed to begin conversations about animal ethics.

The kiore was purposely brought to Aotearoa by early Polynesian settlers.

  • Why do some people regard kiore as taonga?
  • Why do some people regard kiore as an introduced pest species?... Expand note

This image is titled 'Cat lurking in the grass'.

  • Is this cat a pet or a pest?
  • Is it lurking or simply observing its environment?... Expand note

This image also features a cat looking at something while in the grass.

  • Is this cat a pet or a pest?
  • Is it lurking or simply observing its environment?... Expand note
  • What do you observe in this image?
  • What message is it trying to portray?
  • What emotions does it evoke?... Expand note

Additional resources

Predator control - a wicked problem

Dr Sally Birdsall discusses research regarding predator control, ethics and children in this Radio New Zealand interview.

The ethics of teaching children about predator control in New Zealand

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/nights/audio/2018945163/the-ethics-of-teaching-children-about-predator-control-in-new-zealand

ANZCCART

ANZCCART is the Australian & New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching.

Their website contains numerous resources for schools and other organisations.

https://www.anzccart.org.nz/

This article, along with videos, explains how and why a kura and its community developed a protocol to balance kaitikitanga and the sacrifice of moths to create a local reference collection.