A waka recovered - data sovereignty and traditional Moriori knowledge in an archaeological investigation
Tracks
Kuranda Ballroom
| Monday, July 27, 2026 |
| 1:45 PM - 2:00 PM |
Speaker
Ms Susan Thorpe
Kaunaki Rēkohu
A waka recovered - data sovereignty and traditional Moriori knowledge in an archaeological investigation
ISE Congress 2026 Abstract
The presenters (Māui and Susan) respectfully request two sessions to present on the recovery of an ancient Moriori voyaging waka on Rēkohu/Chatham Islands.
Moriori traditional knowledge has always affirmed migration traditions which include the loss of one of their voyaging waka on a northern coast of the island many centuries ago. In late 2024 parts of the waka became exposed and are now being excavated. The waka find is a powerful assertion of cultural beliefs and potential means of promoting education about Moriori migration and Polynesian wayfinding. However, the process of recovery has been marred by competitive claims of ownership and court action resulting in cultural cancellation.
The two presentations will focus ways to respectfully engage with traditional owners, building ethical bridges to record and protect heritage landscapes and treasures. The presentations will promote the notion of archaeologists as agents for social change, moving away from epistemic privilege to a place that honours traditional data sovereignty. If archaeology is about exploring the material expression of identity it is important to get it right for fear of causing harm to the identity data and owners/belongers of that data.
The presentations use the case study of the waka find. The site of the archaeological investigation is at the mouth of a stream called Rangihoua, at the very location Moriori say the canoe was wrecked. The name of the waka and some of the crew are as real today as the day it foundered in a winter storm centuries ago. If this find is indeed the remains of the Rangihoua waka it is crucial confirmation of Moriori traditions and oral history and a shining star for understanding way-finding traditions of the entire Eastern Pacific.
Moriori traditional knowledge has always affirmed migration traditions which include the loss of one of their voyaging waka on a northern coast of the island many centuries ago. In late 2024 parts of the waka became exposed and are now being excavated. The waka find is a powerful assertion of cultural beliefs and potential means of promoting education about Moriori migration and Polynesian wayfinding. However, the process of recovery has been marred by competitive claims of ownership and court action resulting in cultural cancellation.
The two presentations will focus ways to respectfully engage with traditional owners, building ethical bridges to record and protect heritage landscapes and treasures. The presentations will promote the notion of archaeologists as agents for social change, moving away from epistemic privilege to a place that honours traditional data sovereignty. If archaeology is about exploring the material expression of identity it is important to get it right for fear of causing harm to the identity data and owners/belongers of that data.
The presentations use the case study of the waka find. The site of the archaeological investigation is at the mouth of a stream called Rangihoua, at the very location Moriori say the canoe was wrecked. The name of the waka and some of the crew are as real today as the day it foundered in a winter storm centuries ago. If this find is indeed the remains of the Rangihoua waka it is crucial confirmation of Moriori traditions and oral history and a shining star for understanding way-finding traditions of the entire Eastern Pacific.
Biography
Maui specialises in indigenous rights and cultural and intellectual property, playing a key role in the claim for indigenous flora and fauna. He was chief negotiator for the Moriori Treaty settlement and has had a long history of tribal leadership.
Susan is an archaeologist with a passion for recording in indigenous landscapes and rematriation of human remains. They both live and work on Rēkohu restoring indigenous ecology through large scale planting and predator control work.
