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Ko tētehi āhuatanga o te ao hōu nei ko ngā
taupatupatu i waenganui i a tauiwi me te tangata
whenua. Ka whanake mai ngā tautohetohe nei, nā te
rerenga kētanga o ngā whakaaro, o ngā mātauranga, o
ngā tikanga me ngā wairua, otirā, nā te rerenga kētanga
o te tirohanga me te nohonga o tētehi iwi i roto i tōna
ake ao. Ko te otinga atu ko te whiunga kupu a tauiwi
e whakaiti ana, e whakahāwea ana i ngā mātauranga
me ngā mōhiotanga o te tangata whenua.
Ka mārama noa atu taua āhuatanga i ngā kōrero
kua tuhia e pā ana ki te whakatere waka hourua. Ko
tāku mahi i te pepa nei; he whakaatu i ētehi kupu kua
tāngia e tauiwi; he whakamārama atu i ngā mahi
whakatere waka i mahia e mātou i runga i te moananui;
he whakatakoto i ētehi kupu tawhito nā te iwi Māori;
he whoatu hoki i ētehi whakaaro hei kai mā te
hinengaro. Ko te tūmanako, i te mutunga ka kitea he
aha āku i kī penei ai:
Hei aha a Korewhakapono mō te
whanake i a Koremōhio.
Engari, mā Whakapono a Matatau
hei whakatipu.
As a Māori academic working in a scientific environment
the potential exists for a clash of beliefs. Does
Māori wisdom have a place in Pākehā knowledge?
Does Pākehā technology have a place in Māori discernment?
One may find that to intensify the pursuit
of one science, the other science is alienated as the
cultural background that they are founded on is radically
different. This can lead to one's cultural integrity
being tested.
The past has shown that conflict also arises when
a scientist from a mono-cultural background is so entrenched
in his/her own science's technology that they
cannot understand how an alternative science can exist
in isolation of any other. The common resulting
manifestation is that a science not understood is a science
disregarded, and often a science discredited.
This has certainly been the case in literature written
about traditional open water navigation. I intend
to reveal some of the ignorance and ethnocentric views
that have been displayed about this subject. I will
show how, using only traditional instruments, we could
navigate from Hawai'i to Rarotonga (over 2500 nautical
miles). This discussion will highlight how the
arrogant dismissal of traditional science as myth has
disregarded the validity of knowledge that I believe
still has a place today's technological world.