Abstract
This presentation explores a design-led approach to envisioning thriving, biodiverse oceans in the future, developed through a second-year Design for Social Innovation course titled Whakapapa II, in collaboration with UNESCONZ and the Ocean Decade initiative. Grounded in mātauranga Māori and Indigenous ways of knowing, the course invites students to reimagine the future of oceans through narrative-driven artefacts, graphic novels, animations, and short films that highlight restoration and biodiversity. Drawing on Indigenous principles of environmental stewardship, students are encouraged to create compelling visual stories that inspire sustainable thinking and promote ecological balance. The course framework, guided by mātauranga Māori concepts, emphasizes Effective Use of Format, Visual Style, Technical Requirements, and Presentation Skills, encouraging students to critically engage with their chosen medium while fostering creativity, technical proficiency, and cultural awareness. An essential aspect of the course involves translating Indigenous knowledge systems to inspire without appropriation, promoting respectful engagement with mātauranga Māori principles such as relationality, interconnectedness, and kaitiakitanga (guardianship). This presentation will discuss how the collaboration with UNESCONZ and the Ocean Decade initiative supports students in becoming environmental advocates, producing work that centers Indigenous ecological narratives. Attendees will gain insights into how design education, rooted in mātauranga Māori and Indigenous knowledge, can inspire sustainable futures and catalyze positive environmental change on a global scale.
Presenters
Tanya RukaLecturer Matauranga Maori in Design, Programme Lead Design for Social Innovation, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Oceanic Journeys: Multicultural Approaches in Publishing Practices
KEYWORDS
IndigenousDesign, IndigenousFuturesDesign
