The Cultural Health of the Opihi Catchment
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The Cultural Health of the Opihi Catchment Source: David Wall Photography (www.davidwallphoto.com) Working with: Te Runanga o Arowhenua Prepared by: Tipa and Associates Ltd Updated June 2018 2 | P a g e TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1: INTRODUCING THE CULTURAL HEALTH OF THE OPIHI TODAY 1.1 THE OPIHI CATCHMENT ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 1.2 INTRODUCTION TO THE REPORT FOR THE OPIHI .......................................................................................................................................... 5 1.3 THE STRUCTURE OF THIS REPORT ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 A NEW LEGAL IDENTITY ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1.5 THE KAITIAKI RUNANGA ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1.6 HOW TO USE THIS REPORT .................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 1.7 REPORT FOR THE SUB-CATCHMENTS OF THE OPIHI ..................................................................................................................................... 6 1.8 THE FUTURE SOUGHT BY AROWHENUA .......................................................................................................................................................... 7 PART 2: OUR CULTURAL FRAMEWORK 2.1 AN ECO-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 CULTURAL KEYSTONE SPECIES ......................................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.3 WAHI TUPUNA ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.4 DATA SOURCES ACCESSED.................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 2.5 THE ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM ................................................................................................................................................................................ 10 2.6 THE ECO-CULTURAL SYSTEM IN THE OPIHI ................................................................................................................................................. 11 PART 3: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE OPIHI RIVER 3.1 WATERWAYS OF THE CATCHMENT ................................................................................................................................................................ 15 3.2 CULTURAL LANDSCAPES ................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 3.3 THE OPIHI RIVER ECOSYSTEMS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 17 3.4 CONNECTIVITY AND CORRIDORS .................................................................................................................................................................... 18 3.5 WAHI TAPU / TAONGA ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 3.6 MANAWHENUA LAND AND FISHING INTERESTS IN CANTERBURY ....................................................................................................... 19 3.7 MAHINGA KAI ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 19 3.8 SUSTAINING MAHINGA KAI ............................................................................................................................................................................... 21 3.9 LINKING IMPACTS OF CHANGING WATER MANAGEMENT ON THE ATTRIBUTES OF MAHINGA KAI ........................................... 23 3.10 OTHER TAONGA SPECIES ................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 PART 4: TE MOEMOEA -A HEALTHY OPIHI CATCHMENT 4.1. A HEALTH AND WELL OPIHI CATCHMENT .................................................................................................................................................... 27 4.2 THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT - ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY WHANAU ..................................................................................................... 27 PART 5: THE CURRENT HEALTH OF THE OPIHI CATCHMENT 5.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 5.2 DATA INFORMING OUR RIVER ASSESSMENTS ............................................................................................................................................. 30 5.3 SUMMARY OF CULTURAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS .................................................................................................................................... 58 PART 6: SUMMARY OF ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY WHANAU 6.1 SUMMARY OF ISSUES IDENTFIIED BY WHANAU ......................................................................................................................................... 59 6.2 AN UNHEALTHY OPIHI CATCHMENT .............................................................................................................................................................. 63 6.3 THE FUTURE SOUGHT BY TE RUNANGA O AROWHENUA ......................................................................................................................... 63 BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDICES 3 | P a g e 4 | P a g e PART 1: INTRODUCING THE CULTURAL HEALTH OF THE OPIHI TODAY 1.1 THE OPIHI CATCHMENT The focus of this report is the Opihi catchment. Figure 1 shows the catchment boundaries and many of the streams discussed within this publication. Traditionally for Ngai Tahu, the rivers were important sources of food, key transportation routes, and a source of spirituality. Following European settlement, the landscapes were modified, the rivers manipulated, lands alienated, and an reserve system, which is inadequate, was not implemented. Ngai Tahu were left struggling to cope with the sense of loss of important catchments which featured so strongly in their physical and spiritual wellbeing. Today the rivers of South Canterbury remain a landscape, valued by many different groups, each claiming a piece of it, including Ngai Tahu, who as Manawhenua, continue to view the river as integral to their cultural identity and wellbeing. Figure 1: The Opihi catchment (map supplied by Dan Clarke, ECAN) 1.2 INTRODUCTION TO THE REPORT FOR THE OPIHI This report seeks to bring together information about the Opihi and present it in a framework that increases understanding of the whole system, including natural processes, human needs and aspirations, and some of the cultural rights and interests of Manawhenua. The focus of this report is therefore the state of the Opihi River catchment today, and the management recommendations in response to the current state. The assessment of current state, must encompass a broad variety of terrain, climate, historic use, and flora and fauna – all of which underpin the cultural identity of Ngai Tahu whanui. We also acknowledge that the catchment is highly significant to its many residents and communities. In the remaining sections of this part we explain how we developed the conceptual framework to guide this report. 1.3 THE STRUCTURE OF THIS REPORT This report has been divided into a number of parts: Part 1: Sets out the purpose and scope of the report, and explains its structure. Part 2: Introduces the catchment. Part 3: Provides a description of the framework that guided the assessments. Part 3: Presents the data that was collected. Assessments are grouped under the different sub-catchments of the Opihi. Part 4: Discusses key issues. Part 5: Concludes the report. 5 | P a g e 1.4 A NEW LEGAL IDENTITY The legal identity of Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu (TRONT) was established in the Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu Act 1996. Section 15 of the Act states “Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu shall be recognised for all purposes as the representative of Ngai Tahu Whanui”. The mandate of TRONT is further defined by section 15(2) - Where any enactment requires consultation with any iwi or with any iwi authority, that consultation shall, with respect to matters affecting Ngai Tahu Whanui,