Home
Ian Ruru
Cultural Evidence on Water Quality Assessment
This evidence addresses the Mauri Compass Tool methodology and its alignment with Te Mana o te Wai principles under the National Policy Statement-Freshwater Management. The assessment provides a tikanga-based approach to evaluating water body health.
Expert Qualifications and Experience
Ian Hector Ruru
Independent marine and freshwater specialist with 25 years of postgraduate experience. Holds Master of Science (1st Class Honours) in Technology Innovation and Bachelor of Science (Process Technology) from Waikato University.
Affiliates to Ngai Tai, Te Whakatohea, Te Aitanga a Mahaki, and Ngati Porou.
Current Governance Roles
  • Deputy Chair of Taumata Arowai Te Puna
  • Alternate Director of Te Wai Maori Trustee Limited
  • Kahui Māori member of Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge
  • Director of ICP General Partner Limited (18 iwi)
  • Director of Te Kumukumu Limited
The Mauri Compass Tool
Purpose
Assessment tool for evaluating the mauri (life force) of water bodies, combining mātauranga Māori and Western science as unique bodies of knowledge.
Foundation
Based on teachings from Potatutatu Bill Ruru, developed through teaching qualifications at over 300 marae across Aotearoa.
Application
Provides robust, valid and repeatable assessment requiring both mātauranga Māori and science experts working collaboratively.
Founding Principles
Toitū te marae o Tane
Toitū te marae o Tangaroa
Toitū te Tangata
Protect and strengthen the realms of the land
Protect and strengthen the realms of the sea
And only then will they protect and strengthen the people
This whakataukī forms the philosophical foundation of the Mauri Compass, emphasising the interconnected relationship between land, sea, and people. The tool recognises that scientific measures alone are insufficient to define waterway well-being—the voice and involvement of tangata whenua is essential.
Development and Refinement
01
Initial Development
Created through collaboration between mātauranga Māori and Western science experts, drawing on traditional knowledge systems.
02
Gisborne Collaboration
Further refined by Te Runanga o Tūranganui-a-Kiwa and Gisborne District Council in response to RMA wastewater consent conditions.
03
Expert Integration
Incorporated input from mātauranga Māori experts, science specialists, and council staff to create comprehensive assessment framework.
04
Practical Application
Applied to assess Mimitangatua, Urenui, and Haehanga rivers for Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga.
Assessment Framework Structure
The Mauri Compass employs three attribute categories with twelve attributes, each containing sub-attributes with specific questions or statements. These are assessed using a Likert Scale and entered into a spreadsheet for analysis.
Te Ao Māori
People-focused attributes examining tangata whenua connection, tikanga practices, wairua, and mahinga kai.
Te Ao Taiao
Land-focused attributes assessing habitat naturalness, biodiversity, biohazards, and chemical pollution.
Nga Tini A Tangaroa
Water-focused attributes evaluating taonga species richness, abundance, health, and catchment condition.
Attribute Category 1: Te Ao Māori (People)
1
Tangata Whenua
Assesses overall connection strength to the waterbody, including frequency of use, access to archaeological sites, achievement of kaitiaki aspirations, and significance as source of tribal identity.
2
Tikanga
Evaluates prevalence of cultural practices including tikanga wai Māori management protocols such as rahui, tangi, tauranga waka, and marae events related to the waterbody.
3
Wairua
Examines spiritual connections through wahi tapu, taniwha sites, use for rongoa Māori, and ceremonial purposes. Considers whether the waterbody nurtures and nourishes the soul.
4
Mahinga Kai
Determines whether mahinga kai is practised, including frequency of kai gathering for hui and tangi, accessibility, presence of pūkenga in kaitiakitanga, and relevant species.
Attribute Category 2: Te Ao Taiao (Land)
Natural Habitat Assessment
Evaluates how natural the habitat is in and adjacent to the waterbody, examining invertebrate, fish, and plant life similarity to natural environments. Considers barriers to fish migration, terrestrial habitat quality, reproduction conditions, benthic conditions, erosion patterns, hydrology, water clarity, and temperature.
Biodiversity Evaluation
Assesses diversity of plant and animal life through invertebrate sampling, fish surveys using appropriate methods, and plant surveys comparing native versus exotic species. Uses Fish Index of Biotic Integrity, NZ Freshwater Fish Database, and Predictive Macroinvertebrate Community Index.
Biohazards Analysis
Measures how germ-free the waterbody is by comparing indicator bacteria levels (E.coli for freshwater, Enterococci for saline environments) against NOF bands and suitability for recreation grades using regional monitoring data.
Chemical Pollution
Provides high-level understanding of waterbody chemistry through regional monitoring data, examining freshwater NOF attributes, heavy metal concentrations compared to ANZECC guidelines, and other important contaminants.
Attribute Category 3: Nga Tini A Tangaroa (Water)
Kai Species Richness
Determines whether the full range of kai species that the waterbody type should provide is available, including eels, koura, freshwater mussels, whitebait species, crayfish, and flounder.
Taonga Species Abundance
Assesses whether taonga/sentinel species are as abundant today as before, examining population levels, male/female ratios, and presence of different size classes for each identified species.
Taonga Species Health
Evaluates health through external signs (discolouration, fungus, cysts, sluggish behaviour) and internal examination where appropriate, including growth rate information.
Catchment Health
Examines health of ecosystems upstream and downstream, including natural vegetation cover, point and diffuse pollution sources, sediment sources, hydrology, and agricultural impacts.
The Mauri Compass Dashboard
The dashboard visualises complex inter-relationships in a straightforward manner, designed around the twelve attributes that inform the mauri of a particular waterbody. Each attribute score is calculated by averaging sub-attribute scores, with flexibility to exclude non-relevant attributes under trained assessor oversight.
3
Attribute Categories
Te Ao Māori, Te Ao Taiao, Nga Tini A Tangaroa
12
Core Attributes
Comprehensive indicators across all categories
300+
Marae Engagement
Development through extensive community consultation
Comparison and Assessment Methodology
Historical State
Post-Māori settlement, pre-European baseline established through mātauranga, historical photographs, memories, and iwi environmental management plans.
Current State
Present mauri condition assessed through field surveys, monitoring data, and tangata whenua knowledge, providing snapshot of waterbody health.
Desired Future
Objectives and aspirations of tangata whenua inform desired future state, guiding restoration and management priorities.
The methodology enables repeatable and auditable assessments. Results use bands and ranges, so must be viewed in context of direction and magnitude of change rather than exact percentages. Ngāti Mutunga's 2022 Report compared the Haehanga with their tupuna awa, the Mimitangiatua, recognising interconnected nature of these waterbodies.
Te Mana o te Wai Framework
Mauri holds a central place in informing Māori, how and why our lives take the form they do. It imbues Māori thinking, knowledge, culture and language with a unique cultural heartbeat and rhythm.
— Pohatu (2011)
1
2
3
1
Water Health
First priority
2
Human Health
Second priority
3
Social & Economic
Third priority
The Mauri Compass assessment aligns with the NPS-FM 2020 hierarchy of obligations, prioritising health and well-being of water bodies and freshwater ecosystems, followed by human health needs, then social, economic, and cultural well-being.
Six Principles of Te Mana o te Wai
Mana Whakahaere
Power, authority, and obligations of tangata whenua to make decisions maintaining, protecting, and sustaining freshwater health and their relationship with it.
Kaitiakitanga
Obligation to preserve, restore, enhance, and sustainably use freshwater for benefit of present and future generations.
Manaakitanga
Process by which tangata whenua show respect, generosity, and care for freshwater and for others.
Governance
Responsibility of decision-makers to prioritise health and well-being of freshwater now and into the future.
Stewardship
Obligation of all New Zealanders to manage freshwater ensuring it sustains present and future generations.
Care and Respect
Responsibility of all New Zealanders to care for freshwater in providing for the nation's health.
Mahinga Kai and Implementation
Compulsory Value Under NPS-FM 2020
Mahinga kai was elevated to a compulsory value and is required to be implemented in the National Objectives Framework by 2024. It is intrinsically connected to Te Mana o te Wai, underpinned by principles of mana whakahaere, kaitiakitanga, and manaakitanga.
Mahinga kai connects people with place, tangata with whenua. A kete of tools and guidance has been developed for tangata whenua and regional councils, providing technical and practical aspects for implementation and guidance for successful collaboration.
Active Involvement
Tangata whenua must be actively involved to enable local approach to Te Mana o te Wai, aligning with their role in mana whakahaere, kaitiakitanga, and manaakitanga.
Specific Values
Māori freshwater values are specific to tangata whenua, requiring locally appropriate assessment and management approaches.
Collaborative Framework
Ngāti Mutunga works with Taranaki Regional Council to respond to NPS-FM 2020 requirements as tangata whenua with mana and rangātiratanga over their rohe.
Mauri Compass and Te Mana o te Wai Integration
Whilst the Mauri Compass Tool does not provide an all-encompassing assessment of Te Mana o te Wai, it can provide present state information that informs many elements of this framework. The tool offers a snapshot to assist assessment of whether Te Mana o te Wai is fulfilled and can be used to track improvement over time.
1
Baseline Assessment
Establish current mauri state across all twelve attributes
2
Monitoring Progress
Track changes in mauri over time through repeated assessments
3
Inform Management
Guide restoration priorities and resource management decisions
4
Achieve Aspirations
Work towards desired future state defined by tangata whenua
The Mauri Compass stands as one of several cultural health monitoring tools available in Aotearoa, providing a robust framework that honours both mātauranga Māori and Western science whilst maintaining the uniqueness of each knowledge system.