"Tikanga" a 1,000 year old alternative to "Organic"
Tikanga - Maori dictionary definition
"The customary system of values and practices that have developed over time and are deeply embedded in the social context".
In the modern context and its application to agribiz activity, it means farming through the deployment of traditional means of land use and its management. This means no modern day, chemical based agricultural sprays or fertilizers. Tikanga process agribiz will be conducted in areas where spray drift from non tikanga, adjoining agricultural properties does not impact the tikanga process agribiz whenua (land).
It means applying cultural values to a business
In Māoridom, a tribal Rangatira (chief) is required to demonstrate the skill, knowledge and personal qualities which would ensure the security and well-being of the people under his influence. These values have been described in various ways by different writers who generally conclude that there are twelve such values which appear to be accepted as fundamental to social organization by Māori throughout the motu (country).
These values are set out in the table illustrated herein.
Maori trade grew during the early colonial era
The cooperative business structure has been a natural part of the social structures and cultural relationships in the Māori world for centuries. The organization of economic activity in Māori society is based on consensual decision making, with Rangatira (chiefs) always subject to the agreement of the people. Monetary settlements made possible by recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi by legislation in 1975 to recompense Maori for commercial deprivation have allowed new Māori corporates to emerge. More and more of these new Māori corporations are beginning to practice the ancient trading practices of their Māori ancestors and combine forces to increase their chances of commercial success.
Developing our inhouse Tikanga program
The world understands "Halal". The time has now come for the world to understand "Tikanga".
The Tribal tea tree agribiz project is working towards establishing a panel of kaumatua (elders) skilled in the way of tikanga to advise on setting up the internal processes required to establish the standards that would enable a producer of ingestible tea tree products to use a "Tikanga Process" stamp of approval / certification of provenance and protocols.
Many products exported from NZ today are produced by Maori owned businesses applying "Tikanga"
Maori entrepreneurs have been operating as successful apiary business operators for over 30 years supplying both the NZ domestic market as well as exporting wild bush manuka honey to customers abroad. They understand the complexity of Māori cultural relationships and social structures that tax the comprehension of many non-Māori business-people who bring their own understanding of organisation and management into the rural Māori world. They may want to see “the person in charge”, or set up a meeting to “make a decision” without realising that they are communicating a strong possibility that any business setup is likely to be fragile and short term.
Having worked with Maori landowners over the years and understanding the nuanced approach to business that permeates throughout the Maori tribal system, the directors have developed the experience and knowledge required to develop a hybrid cooperative enterprise that will help to build and deliver an intergenerational success story the delivers recurring income and wealth creation for Maori landowners operating agribiz assets.