About the Lake Stories project
Sharing cultural knowledge and ecological research about our lakes.
Lake Stories Aotearoa New Zealand
Lake Stories Aotearoa New Zealand is a collection of personal memories, cultural knowledge and scientific information about lakes in the Wairarapa, Rangitīkei and Otago regions. It is intended to stimulate fresh conversations around enhancing lake health and mauri. This site is supported by Lakes380 in association with Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Wairarapa, Ngā Puna Rau o Rangitīkei, and Kāi Tahu ki Ōtākou rūnaka. We acknowledge all groups and individuals who strive to improve environmental and social connectivity with their lakes and landscapes.
Lakes380
Lake Stories Aotearoa New Zealand is a collection of personal memories, cultural knowledge and scientific information about lakes in the Wairarapa, Rangitīkei and Otago regions. It is intended to stimulate fresh conversations around enhancing lake health and mauri. This site is supported by Lakes380 in association with Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Wairarapa, Ngā Puna Rau o Rangitīkei, and Kāi Tahu ki Ōtākou rūnaka. We acknowledge all groups and individuals who strive to improve environmental and social connectivity with their lakes and landscapes.
Lake Stories Project Team
Charlotte Šunde
Charlotte is a social scientist at the Cawthron Institute in Nelson. Her role on the Lakes380 project includes researching social environmental histories and contemporary lake management policies. Charlotte co-leads (with iwi partners) the rohe lake studies — Wairarapa Moana; Lake Oporoa in the Rangitīkei; and kā roto o Waipōuri, o Waihora ki Taiari (Lakes Waipori and Waihola) in Ōtākou/Otago. Charlotte initiated the lakes documentary series as a way of sharing insights from diverse knowledges with a wider audience. She directs, researches, interviews, edits and produces the documentaries, working in partnership with Bruce Foster.
Rawiri Smith
Rawiri is the environment manager for Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, based in Masterton. He is a natural storyteller, practised in the art of weaving mātauranga Māori and environmental knowledge particularly in connection to Wairarapa Moana. Ra is motivated to inform and inspire whānau and the wider community to connect with and improve the ecological health and mauri of Wairarapa waterbodies.
Reece Martin
Reece (Ngāti Whitikaupeka) is project manager for Ngā Puna Rau o Rangitīkei, a collective of five iwi from the Rangitīkei River catchment who are working in partnership with councils and the community to restore the health and wellbeing of their river, lakes, streams and wetlands. Reece’s work as an environmental consultant and policy analyst with government ministries is balanced by heavy lifting on the Lakes380 coring boat and his commitments to whānau and te taiao in the Rangitīkei.
Bruce Foster
Bruce is a videographer and photographer concerned with social and environmental issues, particularly the degradation of our waterways. In 2011 he was an artist on the Kermadec Project: Lines Across the Ocean, an initiative to articulate the issues that face one of the few pristine ocean sites left on the planet. In 2017 he initiated The Water Project, thirteen artists exploring the cultural, conceptual and imaginative qualities of rivers, lakes, wetlands and freshwater systems of Aotearoa New Zealand. Bruce is director of Airplane Studios, a video production company in Wellington.
Ethics Process
1) Social science research ethics application
a. Completed an ethics application to guide research with interviewees
b. Application includes policy for protecting mātauranga Māori
c. Reviewed by senior social scientists
d. Consent form includes permission to film interviewees and archive stories
3) Post-interview
a. Audiovisual footage stored on a secure server; ‘off the record’ material deleted
b. Audio transcribed by a professional who signed a confidentiality agreement
c. Interview transcripts analysed by social science researcher
5) Publishing
a. Stories uploaded to Vimeo with password protection until approvals granted
b. Participants contacted to view and revise or approve draft versions of stories
c. Material cited or used in publications or conference presentations subject to terms of consent
d. Website security verified by a specialist provider
2) Participants
a. Information sheet and consent form sent and discussed
b. Filming only after consent given by the individual or group; consent for minors includes their guardian’s approval
c. Filming on marae only took place following pōwhiri and respecting tikanga
4) Post-production
a. Storyline developed with narratives selected from interview transcripts
b. Selection of film, audio and supplementary material chosen with sensitivity to storyline and context
c. Iwi-specific content reviewed first by Rawiri Smith
d. Science-specific content advised on by Lakes380 co-leaders
6) Future
a. At the conclusion of the Lakes380 project, stories will be made available to hapū/iwi, local and national archives
b. Contributing individuals retain ownership of stories
c. Sharing these stories is encouraged, but editing or re-cutting is not permitted
d. Any questions, please get in touch via the “contact” link
