SCANZ 2013: About the wānanga-symposium
SCANZ 2013: 3rd nature takes place in New Plymouth Nga Motu and Waitara and consists of a wānanga-symposium, exhibition and residency. The symposium brings together people from around the country and the world for three days in February 2013.
Intercreate Trust and event partner Te Matahiapo Indigenous Research Centre (TMIRC) are organising the symposium. Intercreate Trust has worked with the Ahorangi of TMIRC and WITT Dr Te Huirangi Waikerepuru, on a number of projects. From this has come the realisation that the solution to sustainability requires listening to the indigenous voice on the environment. Consequently Mātauranga Māori is interwoven through most of the symposium.
Sessions of the symposium include: Mātauranga Māori, Science and Art; Environment; Society; Indigenous Cultures; Data, Art and Ecology; and Futures. Views expressed include those from a Social Work perspective on environment, barriers to sustainability, working with remote communities, the body and the environment, art and data, biotechnology , little blue penguins and ‘Martian diaspora’ – among many others.
‘Martian diaspora’ refers to a presentation by Haritina Mogosanu of KiwiSpace Foundation. Between 21 April and 5 May this year she attended a Mars expedition at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah. She will present an overview of the experiments, reflections on hybridised culture in space and recommendations for the future development of non-Earth habitats.
The aim of the event is to encourage discussion and debate about what can be done to resolve environmental issues. Current strategies alone are clearly not working. Locating the discussion in the context of indigenous culture and contemporary life is seen as important by the organisers.
Day one is held at Owae Marae in Waitara, days two and three are based at the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki. On day two the SCANZ exhibition 3rd nature opens at 6.28am at Puke Ariki. The third day includes time in Pukekura Park.
Project partners include Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki, Creative New Zealand, Te Matahiapo, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery and Puke Ariki.
