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StoryMaps and interactive maps

Interactive maps work best when they help a particular audience explore a place, change over time or a sequence of evidence. The examples below were link-checked on 4 September 2026. The three featured ArcGIS StoryMaps and the Matawhenua collection were all publicly accessible at review time.

Iwi archives and ingoa wāhi​

Kā Huru Manu is an active Ngāi Tahu cultural atlas built from extensive place-name and historical research. For archive and ingoa wāhi teams, the strongest feature is the evidence structure behind the public atlas.

Māori Maps is an active public map centred on marae. Its deliberately focused purpose is useful for anyone designing a public map: the map does not attempt to become the complete information system behind the kaupapa.

Taiao monitoring by hapū​

Ngā Kaitiaki o Ngā Wai Māori tells the story of a collective of five hapū in Te Tai Tokerau working with waterways in the upper Wairoa catchments. The StoryMap combines whakapapa and Te Ao Māori context with wetlands, river networks, catchments, water-quality monitoring, fish surveys, eDNA and fish-passage work.

For taiao teams, it shows how a StoryMap can explain why monitoring exists, what is collected and how environmental data connects back to the kaupapa rather than presenting only a finished map.

Pair it with Taiao data, Field GIS and KoboToolbox field work.

Coastal risk and mātauranga​

Te Ao Māori in Coastal Risk Assessments documents a 2024–2026 project co-developed by Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau and Earth Sciences New Zealand. It combines whānau knowledge of historical flood impacts with hazard and taonga mapping and RiskScape modelling around Te Pokohiwi o Kupe and the wider Wairau area.

For iwi planners, hazard specialists and councils, the value is seeing both the social and technical parts of the modelling process rather than only the final risk surface.

Continue with Hazard data and Marae emergency mapping.

Iwi and community restoration​

The Project Mahitahi Story brings together the history, ecology and restoration of the Mahitahi/Maitai catchment with iwi and community partners in Te Tauihu. It combines restoration sites, awa history, ingoa, ecological work and opportunities for people to engage with the catchment.

It is a useful pattern for councils, iwi partners and restoration programmes that need a living project narrative rather than a one-off communications map.

Matawhenua collection​

The Matawhenua: Tirohanga 3D Māori GIS ki te Whakapapa collection contains practical examples covering data discovery, imagery, 3D scenes, fly-throughs, freshwater and offline GIS.

Useful individual stories include:

StoryMaps Resource Kete​

The 2026 Kōrero ā-Mahere StoryMaps Resource Kete brings together Aotearoa and Indigenous examples, StoryMaps techniques and useful source links. It is a strong starting point for communications teams and first-time StoryMaps authors.

It includes examples for whenua Māori, awa, historical aerial imagery, hazards, restoration, climate adaptation and 3D place-based storytelling.

Choose the form from the audience​

For a hui, a printable map may be clearer than a web app. For whānau exploring places from different locations, an interactive map may be more useful. For a long restoration or research story, StoryMaps can connect maps with photographs, audio, timelines, evidence and explanatory text.

Choose the format because it helps the audience follow the kaupapa, not simply because the software is available.

Continue with Cartography and map communication, ArcGIS StoryMaps, Google Earth and Prepare information for sharing.

Last reviewed: 4 September 2026

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