Ocean Mercier teaches Te Pūtaiao Māori/Māori Science which is a course on mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge and science) in both traditional and contemporary contexts, at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. Her research and that of her peers and students recognizes the values and merit of both indigenous and western techniques, using both to produce some amazing research that could hold the key to saving species, ecosystems and even improving human resilience against the negative impacts of climate change. In this episode, we also discuss the Polynesian and European settlement of New Zealand, Maori culture and beliefs, and round off the episode on the ancient creation story of 'Aotearoa' - the land of the long white cloud. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.