“Water Is Taonga: Aotearoa?” SAMAQAN Season 4 Episode 43

This fourth part of “Water Is Taonga”, visits the University of Waikato to learn more about terms used in the Treaty of Waitangi as they pertain to Maori Water rights. From north to south there are 107 hot pools used both for recreational activity and as a source of thermal energy. New Zealander boast that they are the earliest users of large scale energy derived from thermal fields, which provide about 13% of the country's electricity. Geothermal is recognized as the most reliable source of energy, above solar, wind and hydroelectric. What is more interesting is that the Maori own and manage some of this power, while having additional claims on many lands where geothermal activity abounds. The film crew spoke with key people in Aotearoa over a seven-week period in 2014, learning how they lost their traditional lands. Their story is not much different from that of First Nations people in what is now known as Canada, yet in New Zealand, the Maori have one treaty while in Canada, there are 11 numbered treaties, with others in final stages of negotiation and still others that were never negotiated at all.

This fourth and final series of “SAMAQAN” examines the role of water in culture and spirituality of Indigenous people, their focus on stewardship and the efforts mounted to balance respect for the environment with development.

Directed by: Marianne Jones, Jeff Bear
Produced by: Marianne Jones, Kristy Assu, Jeff Bear