Skip to main content

Core Māori GIS workflows

This section is where the site turns data and tools into useful mapping mahi. Start with the question and choose the workflow that fits it.

Practical starting points​

Whenua​

Taiao and hazards​

History and place​

Analysis and communication​

For collection outside the office use Field GIS.

A simple workflow​

Conceptual flow

Start with what each source can tell you​

A parcel, Māori land block, flood model, historic plan and local observation can all be useful in the same project while representing different things. Use Authoritative for what? and Provenance and source checking rather than choosing one layer as the universal truth.

Keep analysis transparent​

Simple overlays, distance checks, selection and comparison are often easier to explain than a complicated index. If a papakāinga map highlights a candidate area, people should be able to see whether slope, access, flood context or another layer is driving that result.

The Worked examples show this approach across six complete tasks.

Keep Māori place visible​

A cadastral layer can be essential without becoming the definition of whenua. An awa can be represented as a network, catchment, riparian corridor, monitoring system or historical landscape rather than only a blue line. Ingoa wāhi can retain official, historical and local forms rather than being collapsed into one label.

Use Kaupapa Māori GIS when the difficult part is representation rather than software.

Learn the techniques​

The QGIS practical course teaches the main techniques through Māori GIS examples. The Māori GIS Toolkit provides reusable templates and downloads.

Last reviewed: 26 August 2026

Last updated on