The Use of an Agent-Based Model to Represent Māori Cultural Values

Abstract: Cultural values are integral to indigenous Māori culture in New Zealand and are pivotal to guiding a person’s preferences and priorities. Traditional concepts and beliefs have shaped the thinking of most Māori, and Māori knowledge still resonates strongly within contemporary Māori society. Cultural values therefore reflect both the long history and relationship tangata whenua (people of the land) have with a given area, location, catchment, or region and their world view. Cultural values are statements of knowledge, and shape the way Māori think about issues, form the basis for decision-making, and are fundamental for establishing aspirations, desires, and priorities. Iwi and hapu (tribes and sub-tribes) in the Te Tau Ihu region (northern part of the South Island) have been active in recording and expressing their cultural values for many years. Tiakina Te Taiao Ltd, a pan-iwi resource management organisation, has been developing cultural and environmental methods and indicators. A large amount of information and knowledge has been recorded onto Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and it is now a central tool for planning environmental and cultural projects, recording cultural values, and documenting significant cultural, heritage, taonga (treasure), and archaeological sites, amongst others. On the other hand, agent-based modelling (ABM) has been increasingly used to assist understanding of the interactions in complex coupled human and natural systems. These models have been combined with GIS t