Latest news with #Mori
Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
Momentum builds for Treasures of Tāmaki Makaurau
Press Release – Tataki Auckland Unlimited The platform plays a vital role in ensuring Mori culture, businesses and leadership are central to the way Tmaki Makaurau is experienced by visitors. More Māori Tourism experiences on board Treasures of Tāmaki Makaurau is fast becoming a go-to guide for discovering Māori tourism experiences in Auckland, with ten new offerings added as the collection continues to grow. Showcasing the depth and diversity of Māori culture across the region, the online platform launched by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU), connects visitors with authentic experiences that reflect the values of manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga – from cultural tours and art to food, performance and maritime journeys. Helen Te Hira, Director of Māori Outcomes at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, says the platform plays a vital role in ensuring Māori culture, businesses and leadership are central to the way Tāmaki Makaurau is experienced by visitors. 'Every business on this platform brings something unique – a sense of purpose, cultural depth and creative excellence. By continuing to curate and centre tangata whenua businesses on this site, we ensure that our communities and visitors to the Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland region can experience something locally connected and meaningful.' Among the new additions is Glorious Tours, co-founded by Ama Mosese, whose team leads visitors to Auckland Museum for the haka show amongst other attractions, as well as hosting Mana – spirit of the Pacific, an immersive dinner and dance show in Māngere. Ama says that as tourists travel a long way to get to New Zealand, they want to experience something different that they haven't done before when they get here. 'Most of our tourists have been all over the world to so many big cities. They want to learn something new, connect with different people and cultures. It's a privilege to share our Māori and Polynesian culture with visitors,' Ama says. 'They are so positive and excited about it. To feel that our culture is appreciated, that's incredibly uplifting.' Other new treasures include Unity Collection, a contemporary art gallery in Matakana Village, Timmy Smith, a creative studio on Waiheke Island, and Wolfgramm Holdings, that offers full-day cultural immersions on a traditional marae. 'Being included in Treasures of Tāmaki Makaurau isn't just a marketing opportunity, it's a recognition of our role as kaitiaki,' says Breviss Wolfgramm, founder of Wolfgramm Holdings. 'We are proud to welcome visitors into spaces where culture isn't just performed, but lived and shared.' All featured businesses are reviewed through a collaborative process that includes representatives from Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, NZ Māori Tourism, Whāriki Māori Business Network and Auckland Council. The new additions include nine Māori owned businesses and one place of cultural connection, bringing the total number of featured experiences to 28, with intentions to grow further. New Māori businesses: Timmy Smith – This charming studio on Waiheke Island offers bespoke jewellery and captivating pieces of art, each infused with story, intention and cultural meaning. Pause for Tea – Also owned by Timmy Smith, offering personalised tea experiences including tea tasting and blending. Their organic sparkling teas are making a name for themselves in North America and beyond. Unity Collection – Discover taonga curated with aroha at this contemporary Māori gallery in Matakana Village, showcasing high-quality design, fashion and art. Glorious Tours – Experience Auckland through local eyes with Māori-led journeys and dining events that celebrate culture, land and community with storytelling, warmth and deep cultural connection. Oystar Creative – A full service, boutique and creative event production company and entertainment agency that deliver powerful and emotive experiences, including Māori cultural experiences and performances from pōwhiri to entertainment. Kiko Tours – Guided tours offering intimate, bicultural journeys through Tāmaki Makaurau. Discover te ao Māori through storytelling, kai and kōrero, while exploring some of the region's most beautiful natural landscapes. Te Manu Taupua – Powerful cultural experiences led by direct descendants of Auckland's founding chief. Walk ancestral lands, hear sacred stories and witness Māori resilience from survivalism to thrivalism. Cruise New Zealand – Private luxury yacht charters from Auckland's Viaduct Harbour. Explore the Hauraki Gulf in style with personalised service, stunning views and unforgettable on-water experiences. Wolfgramm Holdings –Experience an immersive day at a traditional marae, guided by proud cultural hosts. Includes powhiri, haka, weaving, poi making and kai. New place of cultural connection: Delivered by TAU on behalf of Auckland Council, Treasures of Tāmaki Makaurau enriches the region's cultural and visitor economy with experiences that reflect te ao Māori. To view the full collection or register your experience, visit
The Sun
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Japan takes first step toward new nuclear reactor post-Fukushima
TOKYO: A Japanese utility announced plans to conduct a geological survey for constructing the nation's first new nuclear reactor since the Fukushima disaster in 2011. Kansai Electric President Nozomu Mori stated the survey will assess the feasibility of replacing the aging Mihama Nuclear Power Station, marking a significant shift in Japan's energy policy. Following the 2011 tsunami and subsequent meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi, Japan shut down all nuclear reactors amid public safety concerns. However, the government has since advocated for nuclear power as a key component in achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Public opinion has gradually shifted, with many reactors now back in operation. Mori emphasized Japan's limited natural resources, stating, 'It is important that nuclear power fulfils its role in the years to come.' The project, delayed since 2011, remains in early stages, with no confirmed construction timeline. Local reports estimate the new reactor could cost one trillion yen (\$6.8 billion) and take 20 years to become operational. Kansai Electric previously halted plans to replace one of Mihama's three reactors post-Fukushima. Two older reactors were retired in 2015, while the third continues operating despite nearing 50 years of service. The push for nuclear energy aligns with Japan's growing electricity demands, particularly for AI and data centres. – AFP
Asahi Shimbun
22-07-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Kansai Electric to build new nuclear plant in Mihama
Kansai Electric Power Co. will build a new nuclear power plant in Mihama, Fukui Prefecture, the company announced on July 22. The new plant will have a next-generation advanced light water reactor, an improved version of a conventional light water reactor, KEPCO President Nozomu Mori said at a news conference. The company said it has decided to embark on the first step: a geological survey of its existing Mihama nuclear power plant and the land nearby. KEPCO was expected to notify the governments of Fukui Prefecture and Mihama town, where the current plant is located, by the end of the day. This is the first concrete move by a major electricity utility to build a nuclear power plant since the 2011 triple meltdowns at the Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Mass evacuations and the difficult clean-up led to a surge of anti-nuclear sentiment, but under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida the government shifted toward allowing the construction of new nuclear power plants on a conditional basis. In February this year the government revised its basic energy plan, deleting a line that vowed to 'reduce dependence on nuclear power as much as possible.' That phrase was added after the Fukushima accident. Moreover, utilities have now secured a range of government support measures for the construction of nuclear power plants. Mori said the company sees strategic value in this. 'In resource-poor Japan, it is important that nuclear power continue to play its role in the future from the perspective of S plus 3E,' Mori told reporters at the company's headquarters in Osaka. The term 'S plus 3E' refers to safety, energy security, economic efficiency and the environment. 'We have come to the conclusion that we need to resume our voluntary site survey,' he said. The Mihama plant was KEPCO's first nuclear power plant. Its No. 1 reactor began operation in 1970, feeding some of its output to the Osaka Expo that year. By 2010, the No. 1 reactor was aging. KEPCO began a survey looking at the viability of rebuilding it but the survey was suspended a year later in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. In 2015, the reactor's fate was sealed when the decision was taken to decommission it. At the time, KEPCO said that the geology and topography at the Mihama plant would be examined in a study that would take about a year to complete. However, the Fukushima accident led to the creation of the Nuclear Regulation Authority and new safety standards. The regulations have become stricter, so the content and duration of the survey will be examined 'on a zero basis,' a source said. Construction of a new nuclear power plant is estimated to take 15 to 20 years. It will cost more than 1 trillion yen ($6.8 billion) per unit, including preliminary environmental impact studies. When the operating period and subsequent decommissioning work are factored in, the time horizon on such a project is about 100 years. As for reactor type, Mori said it will be an advanced light water reactor. In September 2022, KEPCO teamed with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and three major electric power companies to jointly develop an advanced light water reactor called the SRZ-1200, with the aim of commercializing it in the mid-2030s. Based on lessons learned from the Fukushima accident, the reactor will be equipped with a device called a core catcher, which would contain and cool the fuel in the event of a meltdown. Meanwhile, the nuclear power sector is also watching the plans of Kyushu Electric Power Co., which owns the Genkai and Sendai nuclear power plants. In May, the company included 'consideration of the development and installation of next-generation advanced reactors' in its management vision for the period to 2035.
Scoop
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Community Coalition Backs Māori Wards
Press Release – For Wards Hawke's Bay Called For Wards Hawkes Bay, the multicultural group of people from across the political spectrum has come together because Mori wards are better for all, organisers say. A Hawke's Bay community coalition has been formed to back Māori wards at referendums in September. Called 'For Wards Hawke's Bay', the multicultural group of people from across the political spectrum has come together because Māori wards are better for all, organisers say. The group's public launch on Wednesday will be chaired by former Hawke's Bay Regional Council chairman Rex Graham. 'I am really happy to support this endeavour to secure Maori wards for our region,' Graham says. 'Maori wards add to our democracy and fit into its essential principles of 'one person one vote' and accountability to the electorate.' Speakers at Wednesday's launch at the Clive Hall will include Hastings Presbyterian minister the Rev Jill McDonald, Hastings Takitimu Māori Ward councillor Heather Te Au-Skipworth, President of the Hawke's Bay Multicultural society Rizwaana Latiff, and Hayley Whittaker from the Public Service Association. All supporters of Māori wards are welcome to attend the meeting on Wednesday July 23 at the Clive Hall. Doors open at 5pm and the brief speeches are from 5.30 to 6pm. For Wards Hawke's Bay co-ordinator Neill Gordon says Hawke's Bay is coming together to support Māori Wards. 'For Wards Hawke's Bay is a community coalition of people from throughout the region – business and community leaders, old and young, tangata whenua and tangata tiriti, workers, faith leaders . . . who all recognise that Māori having a seat at the decision-making table means better decisions for all.' Hawke's Bay councils are among 42 nationwide holding a Māori wards referendum with the local body election postal vote that opens September 9 and closes October 11. Wairoa was the first council in New Zealand to introduce a Māori ward following a referendum in 2019. Voters there will take part in the Hawke's Bay Regional Council referendum. Historically, Mãori have been significantly under-represented in local government. In Napier there have been just three Māori councillors in 150 years and just a handful in Hastings. Candidates standing in Māori wards are elected by voters on the Māori roll, the same as for the Māori seats in Parliament. It's the same democratic principle as with rural council wards, which ensure people in remote areas have guaranteed representation and their voice isn't swamped by larger urban populations. There are no extra costs and councils with existing Māori wards say it saves money because better decisions are made for all, consultation happens properly and court cases are avoided. Gordon says that 'Democracy is many things – MMP, First Past the Post, a House of Lords . . . Democracy comes in many flavours. Fundamentally, democracy is about ensuring fair representation and that's exactly what Māori wards are designed to do.' 'No matter who we are or where we come from, most of us want a future where people and the environment are well cared for. 'But some people and groups are trying to divide us, and divert us from these concerns that matter to so many of us. At times, this division has meant our councils are not able to make the best decisions for our long term, ones that put care for people and our environment first. 'Māori wards have been a positive solution. By bringing in Māori culture, knowledge and ways of life, councils have become a better reflection of our communities and our shared concerns. Māori ward councillors have helped harness our collective strength by weaving our communities together so our councils can make better, long-term decisions that benefit all of us, and the places we love.'
Scoop
17-07-2025
- Science
- Scoop
We travelled to Antarctica to see if a Māori lunar calendar might help track environmental change
The Mori language describes 12 distinct types of snow. Researchers are identifying them in Antarctica as part of a project that connects Western science with Indigenous knowledge. Antarctica's patterns of stark seasonal changes, with months of darkness followed by a summer of 24-hour daylight, prompted us to explore how a Māori lunar and environmental calendar (Maramataka) might apply to the continent and help us recognise changes as the climate continues to warm. Maramataka represent an ancient knowledge system using environmental signs (tohu) to impart knowledge about lunar and environmental connections. It traces the mauri (energy flow) between the land (whenua), the ocean (moana) and the sky and atmosphere (rangi), and how people connect to the natural world. Maramataka are regionally specific. For example, in Manukau, the arrival of godwits from the Arctic indicates seasonal changes that align with the migration of eels moving up the local Puhinui stream. During matiti muramura, the third summer phase that aligns with the summer solstice, the environment offers tohu that guide seasonal activity. The flowering of pohutukawa is a land sign (tohu o te whenua), the rising of Rehua (Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius) is an atmospheric sign (tohu o te rangi), and sea urchins (kina) are a sea sign (tohu o te moana). When these signs align, it signals balance in nature and the right time to gather food. But if they are out of sync (such as early flowering or small kina), it means something in the environment (te taiao) is out of balance. These tohu remind us how deeply land, sea and sky are connected, and why careful observation matters. When they're out of sync, they call us to pause, observe and adapt in ways that restore natural balance and uphold the mauri of te taiao. Tracking a Maramataka in Antarctica One of the key tohu we observed in Antarctica was the mass arrival of Weddell seals outside New Zealand's Scott Base at the height of summer. Guided by Maramataka authorities, we explored other local tohu using Hautuu Waka, an ancient framework of weaving and wayfinding to navigate a changing environment. Originally used for navigating vast oceans, wayfinding in this context becomes a metaphor for navigating the complexities of today's environmental and social challenges. During the Antarctic summer, the Sun doesn't set. But we documented the Moon when visible in the day sky and observed the Sun, clouds, mountains and various forms of snow and ice. This included glacial ice on the land, sea ice in the ocean and snowflakes in the sky. While the tohu in Antarctica were vastly different from those observed in Aotearoa, the energy phases of the Maramataka Moon cycles aligned with traditional stories (pūrākau) describing snow and ice. We identified some of the 12 different forms of snow recorded by ethnographers, who described them as the 'offspring of wind and rain'. At Scott Base, we observed feather-like snow (hukapuhi) and floating snow (hukarangaranga). Further inland on the high-elevation polar plateau, we found 'unseen' snow (hukakoropuku), which is not always visible to the naked eye but felt on the skin, and dust-like snow (hukapunehunehu), akin to diamond dust. The latter phenomenon occurs when air temperatures are cold enough for water vapour to condense directly out of the atmosphere and form tiny ice crystals, which sparkle like diamonds. In te ao Māori, snow has a genealogy (whakapapa) that connects it to wider systems of life and knowledge. Snow is part of a continuum that begins in Ranginui (the sky father) and moves through the god (atua) of weather Tāwhirimātea, who shapes the form and movement of clouds, winds, rain and snow. Each type of snow carries its own name, qualities and behaviour, reflecting its journey through the skies and land. The existence of the specific terms (kupu) for different forms of snow and ice reflect generations of observation, passed down through whakapapa and oral histories (kōrero tuku iho). Connecting Western science and mātauranga Māori Our first observations of tohu in Antarctica mark the initial step towards intertwining the ancient knowledge system of mātauranga Māori with modern scientific exploration. Observing snow through traditional practices provided insights into processes that cannot be fully understood through Western science methods alone. Mātauranga Māori recognises tohu through close sensory attention and relational awareness with the landscape. Drawing on our field observations and past and present knowledge of environmental calendars found in mātauranga Māori and palaeo-climate data such as ice cores, we can begin to connect different knowledge systems in Antarctica. For example, just as the Maramataka contains information about the environment over time, so do Antarctic ice cores. Every snowflake carries a chemical signature of the environment that, day by day, builds up a record of the past. By measuring the chemistry of Antarctic ice, we gain proxy information about environmental and seasonal cycles such as temperature, winds, sea ice and marine phytoplankton. The middle of summer in an ice core record is marked by peak levels in chemical signals from marine phytoplankton that bloom in the Ross Sea when sea ice melts, temperatures are warmer and light and nutrients are available. This biogenic aerosol is a summer tohu identified as a key environmental time marker in the Maramataka of the onset of the breading season and surge in biological activity. The knowledge of Maramataka has developed over millennia. Conceptualising this for Antarctica opens a way of using Māori methods and frameworks to glean new insights about the continent and ocean. Grounded in te ao Māori understanding that everything is connected, this approach invites us to see the polar environment not as a remote but a living system of interwoven tohu, rhythms and relationships. Disclosure statement Holly Winton receives funding from Royal Society Te Apārangi (Rutherford Discovery Fellowship and Marsden Fast-Start) and Victoria University of Wellington (Mātauranga Māori Research Fund). Logistics support for Antarctic fieldwork was provided by Antarctica New Zealand. Ayla Hoeta receives funding from Victoria University of Wellington (Mātauranga Māori Research Fund). Logistics support for Antarctic fieldwork was provided by Antarctica New Zealand.
