Welcome to the official podcast of NUWAO (Nature-based Urban design for Wellbeing and Adaptation in Oceania), hosted by Maija Stephens and Mercia Abbott.
Stick around with us as we share kōrero with awesome people doing important mahi in their fields of expertise, all working towards today’s climate issues and how we can respond with nature-based solutions together with local cultural identities.
Our aim is to develop nature-based urban design solutions rooted in indigenous knowledges that support climate change adaptation, individual and community wellbeing in different contexts across Aotearoa and Oceania.
The hope is that these podcasts will inform, inspire and call people to action!
Spotify Link: NUWAO PODCAST SESSIONS.
EPISODE 1: Introduction to the NUWAO podcasts
EPISODE 4: Māia-te-oho Holman-Wharehoka
EPISODE 1: Introduction to the NUWAO podcasts
Welcome to the official podcast of NUWAO (Nature-based Urban design for Wellbeing and Adaptation in Oceania). Hosted by Maija Stephens and Mercia Abbott, in this introductory episode we cover who we are, what we stand for and what’s to come. Stick around with us as we share kōrero with awesome people doing important mahi in their fields of expertise, all working towards today’s climate issues and how we can respond with nature-based solutions together with local cultural identities.
EPISODE 2: Albert Refiti
Portrait of Albert Refiti, 2023,
by Maija Stephens
Join us in conversation with Dr. Albert Refiti, a research leader in the field of Pacific spatial and architectural environment at Auckland University of Technology. Refiti speaks on his upbringing, influences and the process of decolonising and indigenising knowledge.
“The second part of the movement or decolonisation is indigenisation. That is – for me and for anyone who is indigenous – to have access to their knowledge. Not just access but also for them to try to build their own worldview from that knowledge.”
Albert Refiti, 2023
EPISODE 3: Suli Vunibola
Portrait of Suli Vunibola, 2023,
by Maija Stephens
Suli Vunibola shares his journey revitalising ancestral knowledge on his Fijian home soil and speaks on themes of indigenous innovation and resilience.
“For indigenous innovation it’s always about the collective. It’s always about the whenua. It’s always about making sure that the future generations can also – not only appreciate what we have in terms of resources – but make sure that they keep learning about our knowledge systems.”
Suli Vunibola, 2023
EPISODE 4: Māia-te-oho Holman-Wharehoka
Portrait of Māia-te-oho Holman-Wharehoka, 2023,
by Maija Stephens
“It’s a reciprocal relationship between the natural environment and humans that needs to be nurtured.”
Māia-te-oho takes us through the process of her Masters project, in creating her own pūrākau to address the health of Waiwhetū stream.
“In fields of climate change and adaptation there’s views from scientists that we need to do something to stop whatever is happening but if you think of our Atua as people or as someone that looks after you there’s no way that you can actually control it to the extent that you think you can.”
Māia-te-oho Holman-Wharehoka, 2023
EPISODE 5: Vaimu’a Muliava
Portrait of Vaimu’a Muliava, 2023,
by Maija Stephens
Mr. Vaimu’a Muliava (New Caledonia Minister, member of New Caledonia Government in charge of innovation, and digital transition) emphasises the importance of respecting women as an integral part of respecting and caring for the land and ocean.
“In our history of navigation, we call the land the whenua, and the whenua is placenta. So the vocabulary of our culture, is the vocabulary of women. That is why I truly understand we have to take care of women. Because without women – no life.”
“I strongly believe that this way of thinking of women is the better way of thinking for us in the pacific, and I think for humanity.”
Vaimu’a Muliava, 2023