Indigitization: Technology as a mode for conservation sustainability and knowledge transfer in indigenous New Zealand communities

Abstract

Many youths today are disconnected from nature. Although technology cannot substitute for real-life connection of youth to the environment, it can enable nature connectedness, a key factor in reclaiming cultural identity which is intrinsically embedded in nature for Indigenous Māori people. We explore Indigitization as a mechanism for transferring Indigenous ecological knowledge (mātauranga) through digital platforms: virtual reality (VR), and graphic novel (GN) in Māori and English.We used these technologies to capture the pūrākau (story) of a sacred area for Te Rarawa iwi (tribe) in New Zealand, to transfer Indigenous ecological knowledge (mātauranga) about Au Warawara Forest to youth. We assessed the impact of these digital resources on 122 students from Te Rarawa, from both local schools and the wider North Island, who attended a culturally based environmental program.The aim was to increase student levels of mātauranga in ecology. We surveyed students before and after exposure to VR and GN. Students responded positively to the VR, but student enthusiasm for both resources was high. After these experiences, students reported deeper connections to their history and the environment, and with increased awareness of mātauranga. More than half of the youth preferred experiencing VR and GN in Māori.These results show that Indigenous narratives conveyed through digital media support the transfer of ecological mātauranga Māori. Use of technologies such as VR and GN are likely to be critical for future biodiversity conservation sustainability through reconnection of Indigenous youth to cultural and ecological knowledges.