Māori mapping and GIS publications
How to use this list
This page brings together Māori authored or Māori led writing about Māori mapping, GIS, kaupapa Māori spatial practice, and Māori data sovereignty in Aotearoa New Zealand. Items are grouped by theme so readers can scan by area of interest. Each entry includes a full citation, a plain English summary explaining why it matters for Māori GIS practice, the resource type, access notes, and a verified working link.
Foundational concepts and kaupapa Māori approaches
Pacey, H. A. (2005). The benefits and barriers to GIS for Māori. Lincoln University.
This master’s thesis is one of the earliest focused studies of Māori GIS. Using a kaupapa Māori research framework, it examines how GIS can support Māori development and cultural knowledge while identifying barriers such as cost, access to data, and institutional control. It remains relevant as a baseline discussion of why GIS adoption must align with Māori values and priorities.
Type: Master’s thesis
Access notes: Open access PDF via Lincoln University Research Archive
Link: https://researcharchive.lincoln.ac.nz/handle/10182/655
Harmsworth, G. R. (1997). Māori values and GIS: The New Zealand experience. GIS Asia Pacific, April 1997, 40–43.
This early article discusses how GIS can incorporate Māori values such as kaitiakitanga and respect for sacred sites. Written by a Māori researcher, it outlines the risks of applying GIS without cultural context and the opportunities when Māori retain control over spatial data. It is a foundational reference for kaupapa Māori approaches to geospatial technology.
Type: Professional journal article
Access notes: Open access scanned PDF
Link: http://www.iapad.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/GISAP.pdf
Hudson, M., Anderson, T., Dewes, T. K., Temara, P., Whaanga, H., and Roa, T. (2018). He Matapihi ki te Mana Raraunga: Conceptualising Big Data through a Māori lens. In He Whare Hangarau Māori – Language, culture and technology. University of Waikato.
This book chapter frames data, including spatial data, as a living taonga connected to whakapapa. Māori authors from the University of Waikato argue for Māori governed data systems and explain how technologies such as GIS and mapping platforms must operate within tikanga Māori. It provides conceptual grounding for Māori data governance in geospatial contexts.
Type: Book chapter
Access notes: Open access via University of Waikato repository
Link: https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/handle/10289/12138
Cultural mapping and place names
Matthews, P. (2006). Māori place names and a proposed framework. Onomastica Canadiana, 88, 19–42.
This peer reviewed article proposes a framework for understanding and categorising Māori place names. It explains how place names encode history, land use, and relationships to whenua. The work is widely cited in cultural mapping and toponymy projects and supports careful treatment of Māori place name data in GIS.
Type: Journal article
Access notes: Open access PDF
Link: https://ojs.lib.uwo.ca/index.php/oc/article/download/17761/13393
Walker, D., Parkinson, L., Ōhinemutu whānau, Ngāti Whakaue, and Te Tatau o Te Arawa (2025). Te Kete Kōrero o Ōhinemutu: The story of a cultural mapping tool. AlterNative, 21(4), 366–380.
This article describes a community led cultural mapping project in Ōhinemutu. Māori authors and community members explain how stories, sites, and histories were mapped using a secure digital platform with tikanga based access controls. It demonstrates how GIS can support cultural continuity while protecting sensitive knowledge.
Type: Journal article
Access notes: Open access via publisher
Link: https://doi.org/10.1177/11771801211049800
Te Potiki National Trust. Maori Maps.
Maori Maps is a Māori led online mapping platform showing the location and basic information of marae across Aotearoa. It supports reconnection to place and whakapapa and is one of the most widely used examples of cultural mapping in a public GIS format.
Type: Website
Access notes: Free public website
Link: http://www.maorimaps.com
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. Kā Huru Manu: Ngāi Tahu Cultural Mapping Project.
Kā Huru Manu is a Ngāi Tahu led digital atlas documenting traditional place names and associated histories. It is a major example of iwi controlled GIS, combining archival research, oral histories, and interactive mapping to protect and share mātauranga.
Type: Digital atlas
Access notes: Free public website
Link: https://kahurumanu.co.nz/atlas
Māori land, governance, and decision making
Harmsworth, G., Park, M., and Walker, D. (2005). Development and use of GIS for iwi and hapū: Motueka case study. Landcare Research.
This report documents an iwi led GIS developed to support resource management and governance in Motueka. It shows how spatial data supported decision making on land and water, while also highlighting challenges around data ownership and technical capacity.
Type: Technical report
Access notes: Open access PDF
Link: https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/assets/researchpubs/harmsworth_gis_iwi.pdf
Hudson, M., Farrar, D., and McLean, L. (2016). Tribal data sovereignty: Whakatōhea rights and interests. In Indigenous Data Sovereignty: Toward an Agenda. ANU Press.
This chapter focuses on Whakatōhea and how iwi assert authority over their data for governance and planning. It is directly relevant to Māori GIS as it explains why spatial and environmental data should be governed by iwi as part of rangatiratanga.
Type: Book chapter
Access notes: Open access
Link: https://doi.org/10.22459/CAEPR38.11.2016.09
Data sovereignty and governance frameworks for geospatial data
Te Mana Raraunga (2016). Māori Data Sovereignty Charter.
This charter sets out principles for Māori control of Māori data. While not GIS specific, it underpins all Māori geospatial practice by asserting that data about whenua, people, and resources are taonga governed by Māori values.
Type: Policy charter
Access notes: Open access PDF
Link: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58e9b10f9de4bb8d1fb5ebbc/t/5913020d15cf7dde1df34482/1494417935052/Te+Mana+Raraunga+Charter+(Final+Approved).pdf
Hudson, M. et al. (2020). Māori data sovereignty and the new data ecosystem. New Zealand Science Review, 76(1–2), 46–56.
This article updates Māori data sovereignty thinking and discusses implications for environmental and spatial data systems. It is useful for understanding how GIS practitioners should align tools and workflows with Māori governance principles.
Type: Journal article
Access notes: Open access PDF
Link: https://scientists.org.nz/resources/Documents/NZSR/NZSR76(1-2).pdf
Participatory mapping, community mapping, and methods
Kira, A., and Kerekere, N. (2017). Cartography as a tool of empowerment: a Māori community mapping methodology. International Cartographic Conference Proceedings.
This paper presents a participatory mapping approach grounded in wānanga and hapū leadership. It shows how community mapping can support Māori planning while protecting sensitive information.
Type: Conference paper
Access notes: Open access via conference proceedings
Link: https://doi.org/10.5194/ica-proc-1-1-2017
Environmental monitoring, taiao, and kaitiakitanga applications
Paul-Burke, K. et al. (2020). Mapping Māori knowledge to inform marine management futures. New Zealand Science Review, 76(1–2), 32–41.
This article describes how Ngāti Awa combined mātauranga Māori and GIS to map taonga species and support marine management decisions. It is a strong example of kaitiakitanga in practice using spatial tools.
Type: Journal article
Access notes: Open access PDF
Link: https://scientists.org.nz/resources/Documents/NZSR/NZSR76(1-2).pdf
Tool and practice focused reports and case studies
Wilkins, D. (2020). GIS mapping with Māori groups and community projects. Surveying and Spatial, 103, 16–20.
This practitioner article by Duane Wilkins describes hands on GIS work with iwi, hapū, and marae. It focuses on practical lessons, data sovereignty, and building local capability.
Type: Professional article
Access notes: Open access PDF
Link: https://www.surveyspatialnz.org/Attachment?Action=Download&Attachment_id=6300
Wilkins, D. (2021). GIS mapping tools for wetland projects. In Te Reo o te Repo: Kei Konei Tonu Au, Vol 2. Manaaki Whenua.
This chapter provides a practical guide for Māori communities using GIS in wetland restoration. It covers tools, workflows, and examples relevant to kaupapa Māori environmental work.
Type: Handbook chapter
Access notes: Open access PDF
Link: https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/assets/Publications/Te-reo-o-te-repo-vol-2/TRoTR_Kei-konei-tonu-au_Chapter-16.pdf
Theses and dissertations
Pereka, J. (2023). A kawa led approach for the practical application of geospatial science. Massey University.
This thesis applies kawa and Te Awa Tupua values to GIS practice on the Whanganui River. It shows how historical maps and modern GIS can be combined under tikanga Māori.
Type: Master’s thesis
Access notes: Repository record available
Link: https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/69818