Once were gardeners: Mära and planting protest at ihumätao

Abstract

In a 2009 speech, prominent Mäori lawyer Moana Jackson said that the novel Once Were Warriors (Duff, 1990) could have been more appropriately named Once Were Gardeners (New Zealand Drug Foundation, 2009). By doing so he argued against the notion that Mäori possess a “warrior gene” predisposing them to violence. Instead, Jackson maintained, Mäori were more likely to have a pre-disposition for gardening. Gardening, or mahi mära, has been practised by Mäori for centuries in Aotearoa New Zealand. Although motivations may have changed, mahi mära remains an important expression of what it means to be Mäori. This affirmation is particularly relevant when it comes to the recent Mäori occupation of Ihumätao, one of the oldest Mäori settlements in Aotearoa. This article explores the idea that gardens and gardening demonstrate a form of Mäori protest and resistance. It also examines the importance of mära at Ihumätao and its occupation to Kelly Marie Francis, known as “The Whenua Warrior”, a member of the group occupying Ihumätao, Save Our Unique Landscape (SOUL). Understanding the occupation acknowledges the importance of mära in te ao Mäori.