After 5 years, the Geothermal: the Next Generation programme is coming to a close. One of our overarching goals was to establish an engaged community that actively supports future superhot geothermal development.

Māori are key players in Aotearoa’s next generation of geothermal development and custodians of geothermal resources. Increasingly, Māori are being consulted and mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) is being aligned with and/or brought into conversation with science. Yet, many non-Māori researchers are still uncertain how to engage with Māori. And within our geothermal community, there is a need to better connect Te Ao Māori ki te ao rangahau (the world of Māori to the world of research) to facilitate more culturally responsive and effective approaches for undertaking geothermal research and resource development.

What could we do to build trust, be good partners, and support long-term mutually beneficial relationships? Here, we share examples of initiatives we’ve undertaken during the 5-year programme to support Māori participation and engagement with superhot-supercritical geothermal.

1.     Kanohi ki te kanohi : face-to-face

Goal: Build and strengthen relationships with Māori.

Activity: A dedicated Kaitiaki Advisor met regularly with Māori trusts, organizations and businesses. During these meetings, the Kaitiaki introduced concepts (e.g. superhot-supercritical) and shared the goals and findings of the research programme, to listen and answer questions, and take questions and feedback between the research team and Māori groups.

2.     Treaty Workshop

Goal: For the science team to better understand:

• the impact of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi / Treaty of Waitangi on Māori, and
• how this impacts desicion making today

Activity: A multi-day training workshop was undertaken by science team members to better comprehend the large knowledge gaps many had on crucial events in New Zealand history that have had a lasting impact upon Māori economically, politically and socially. Participants explored concepts of decolonization and institutional racism, and gained insights into Māori cultural concepts. The attendees came away better informed and more able to support improved cross-cultural interactions.

3.     Models for Participation

Goal: Outline existing commercial arrangements in the NZ geothermal sector.

Activity: The aim was to summarise business venture arrangements in large geothermal operations (electricity and process heat) in New Zealand. The focus was on eight developed geothermal fields, and explored Māori participation in past developments. Often the development partnerships include landowners with resources working with experienced geothermal operators.

Accessible data & publications:

• M. Climo, A. Blair, A. Campbell, B. Carey. 2022. Commercial Arrangements Underpinning Aotearoa New Zealand’s Industrial Scale Geothermal Operations. Proceedings NZ Geothermal Workshop 2022. Link.

4.     Marae Stay

Goal: Create opportunities to build and support positive and collaborative relationships.

Activity: Scientists overnighted at the Ohaki marae. Attendees were welcomed with a pōwhiri and came together for whakawhanaungatanga with mana whenua. Participants shared history, experiences and information between the hau kainga (hosts) and manuhiri (visitors). Discussions explored concept, benefits, and concerns about superhot geothermal use.

5.     Waiwhatu Project

Goal: Develop shared language and understandings.

Activity: Five new kupu (words) in Te Reo Māori (the Māori language) were developed to define scientific terms. The process involved scientists explaining useful technical concepts relevant to geothermal and then the team interpreted these through a Māori lens into a shared language. The original Waiwhatu kupu were officially accepted in Te Aka (Māori Dictionary) through a submission to Te Taura Whiri I Te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission). This achievement showcases the strength of the methodology used for developing shared language, and demonstrates a pathway for wider dissemination of future kupu that are created.

While we have a Te Reo Māori translation/version of our website, without accurate kupu to explain concepts in a way that is meaningful in Te Reo Māori, there are still language barriers preventing shared understanding. The ability to apply an indigenous knowledge lens to Western scientific thinking also increases the robustness of scientific ideas, concepts and understanding. Developing shared language is an opportunity to build relationships, seek personal growth, to share understanding, and for innovation.

Accessible data & publications:

• Listen to and learn the kupu here.
• Blair, A. Campbell, M. Climo, P. Siratovich, U. Fairhall, C. Ruha (2024) The Waiwhatu Project: Developing Shared Language (English-Te Reo Māori) for Communicating Geothermal Scientific Terms. GRC Transactions 2024. Link.

6.     Shared Learnings

During the programme, our team has shared learnings from our superhot-supercritical journey into Te Ao Maori. This has included conference papers and presentation sat the NZ Geothermal Workshop, World Geothermal Congress, Geothermal Rising, and the first Indigenous Geothermal Symposium.

Some of the key learnings from this mahi (work) are:

• There is a lot to do, and we can’t do everything at once
• Relationships and trust take time to build
• Engage early to align expectations, aspirations and priorities
• Take time to understand, rather than rushing to inform
• Ask questions and listen to develop shared understanding
• Individuals can make a difference – champions are important
• Succession plan – the future will be driven by the next generation of Māori, scientists, decision-makers, leaders, research methods and innovative technologies

Accessible data & publications:

• M. Climo, A. Blair, A. Campbell, I. Chambefort, U. Fairhall (2023) Stakeholder Engagement: A Supercritical Geothermal Example. Proceedings World Geothermal Congress 2023. Link.