Traditional M Ā Ori 's Environmental Ethic

Traditional Māori did have an “environmental ethic”. Traditional Māori are the people who were living in New Zealand before European settlement. Aldo Leopold describes environmental ethic as “actions of self-denial in order that other species may benefit” . Traditional Māori are a good example of a society who did have environmental ethic. They were conscious of sustaining the environment because of their spiritual belief that they were related to the land and equal with nature . They also believed that they were borrowing the land and they had to take care of it for future generations and this shaped the way they lived . Early Māori’s environmental ethic is also shown in the ways they restricted harvests and protected the landscape. They used their language to impose restrictions and developed techniques and knowledge that informed them on the most sustainable ways to hunt and gather . However, moas did become extinct due to Māori over hunting them but Māori did learn from this mistake . All of this shows that traditional Māori did have environmental ethic. One important aspect of Māori culture that effects their environmental ethic is their spiritual relationship with the environment. Māori believe that everything on earth descend from Rangi and Papa . This includes the environment. Therefore, Māori believe that they are equal to nature. Nature is like their siblings and their equal . Since Māori have this relationship with the environment, they have an ethic to protect