Summarised by Centrist
In an effort to combat the spread of Kauri dieback, a government-funded project is using mātauranga Māori – traditional Māori knowledge – to treat the iconic trees.
One of the more unconventional methods includes playing whale songs and using whale oil in an attempt to heal the infected trees.
The project, led by Dr Valance Smith, involves using “healing sounds” such as whale songs, combined with other “traditional” Māori practices , to rejuvenate the Kauri trees, which have been devastated by a fungal-like infection.
As part of the process, the community involved is also relying on ancient oral narratives, maramataka (lunar calendar), and traditional prayers.
This project, funded by the National Science Challenges, hopes to restore the collective health of forests and people. However, it has proven to be controversial.
In his critique of the initiative, biologist Jerry Coyne remarked, “Do I need to add anything to that save to say that there is no underlying ‘wisdom’ or scientific data suggesting that sounds played to ailing trees could cure them, much less the sounds of whale songs?”
He further pointed out that “science is not under the control of any ethnic group” and argued that the government’s funding of such projects risks treating indigenous knowledge as if it’s untouchable or more important than evidence-based science.
Coyne points out that the infection-causing organism was discovered through modern science and questions why scientifically unsupported methods were being funded.
