Ma te Ao Tawhito Ka Puta ki te Ao Hou

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.