17/10/2026
"Located 800 km east of mainland New Zealand, the Chatham Islands are home to the descendants of the Moriori people. They brought kōpi tree (Corynocarpus laevigatus) seeds from New Zealand and planted groves that would become their homes. They ate the kōpi seeds and used the tree trunks as canvases for artistic expression, storytelling, and messaging. Known as rākau momori, these tree bruisings, impressed using an undetermined stone tool suitable for working young bark, are unique. Moriori faced near-extinction after Māori arrived in 1835, and a significant portion of Moriori cultural knowledge was lost. Due to harsh weather, grazing animals, and disease, many of the trees are dying, and groves are gone. In 2009, the Hokotehi Moriori Trust began harvesting trees to preserve the rākau momori. Today, 29 rākau momori are housed in a pole shed that lacks climate control. This unique, culturally significant ensemble of miheke (cultural treasure) is at risk of total loss due to inadequate funding and a shortage of conservation expertise on the islands. The Trust instigated a revised, low-budget conservation plan in 2023 with one conservator, Moriori tribe members, and volunteers." - Nirmala Balram & Kate Preece
Read the full article for Efforts to Conserve Harvested Rākau Momori on the Chatham Islands, Aotearoa New Zealand here: https://buff.ly/vOefTg1
This article is only available for IIC Members. Membership includes full access to all Studies in Conservation articles, including the Ghent Congress Proceedings. For information on becoming a member or to renew your membership, visit https://buff.ly/EQ3uUVw
Image credit: 1. Children pluck moss from a rākau momori during the 2023 visit. Image by Kate Preece via Studies in Conservation. 2. Inside a kōpi grove. Image by Nirmala Balram via Studies in Conservation.
