Balancing Indigenous Values Through Diverse Economies: A Case Study of Māori Ecotourism

ABSTRACT

Tourism has been portrayed as a sector that can create economic opportunities for Indigenous people through the development of Indigenous tourism and the generation of employment especially in regional and remote areas. This article presents a case study of Māori ecotourism that describes a business model that invests in and supports the building of capacity and enterprise while balancing both cultural and economic values. We posit a hybrid business model that “fits” with context-specific socio-historical culturally constituted frameworks, which incorporate a language of “economic diversity”. Using the framework of diverse economies we challenge tourism academia to move toward more flexible forms of understanding economic practice and the aspirations of Indigenous people today.

KEYWORDS:

• Indigenous values
• Māori tourism
• hybrid enterprise
• diverse economies

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. A capitalocentric discourse condenses economic difference, fusing the variety of non-capitalist economic activities into a unity in which meaning is anchored to capitalist identity.

2. Issues that defy complete definition and have no final solution. Wicked problems are located within complex social processes and constantly evolving social relations.

3. The Treaty of Waitangi signed in 1840 between Maori and the Crown is recognized as New Zealand’s founding document. Although the Treaty has no independent legal status it is legally effective in the New Zealand Courts. Since enactment of the Treaty of Waitangi Act in 1975 many iwi have received compensation redress which have boosted growth of the Maori Economy (Chapman Tripp, 2017).

4. Te Puni Kokiri is a public service department of New Zealand charged with advising the government on policies and issues affecting Māori. Poutama is an independent charitable trust established in 1988 to provide business development services to Maori.

5. Ngāi Tahu iwi settled in Te Waipounamu (South Island of New Zealand) over 800 years ago.

6. The Reserves Act 1977 of New Zealand was established to acquire, preserve and manage areas for their conservation values or public recreational and educational values. Nature Reserves (Section 20) are established primarily to protect and preserve in perpetuity indigenous flora or fauna or natural features of rarity, scientific interest or importance so unique that their preservation is in the public interest (http://www.doc.govt.nz/about-us/our-role/legislation/reserves-act/).