Submitted by Kylie Boggs on the 2019 World Scholars fall semester program in New Zealand…
I took a few of the first year UD World Scholars with me to the Auckland Zoo during a weekend off, and while I typically think of zoos as loud and possibly inhumane spaces, this one was different. The well-documented cultural thread of eco-friendly tourism and business of Aotearoa was apparent throughout the zoo – the open spaces and free-roaming exhibits along with the visible bath houses and feeding grounds were enough to convince me. However, what we all really came to see was the nation’s bird, the Kiwi! The North Island Brown Kiwi is a fragile, flightless bird native to Aotearoa that eats small bugs during the night and sleeps during the day. They are, frankly, adorably goofy looking! However, they are also a strong symbol of uniqueness and they and their feathers are a treasure to the indigenous Māori people. Now, there are only about 35,000 of them left in the world. A creature that used to dominate the underbrush is now struggling to survive, with staggeringly low egg survival rates each year. What happened? Well, ultimately, colonization happened.
With the arrival of the British Crown in Aotearoa also came the hordes of invasive species like snakes, rodents, spiders, and more. Before the 18th century, New Zealand had no native snakes, only one native venomous spider, and had no native rats or large rodents, cats, or dogs. Since the arrival of these pests, however, the natural ecosystem of Aotearoa that allowed the evolution of fragile, native creatures like the Kiwi has been devastated. It naturally follows that the Kiwi is a modern, endangered species. So what can we learn from this? In the end, Aotearoa was invaded by both lawless settlers and invasive animal species at the same time – and both have had a similar effect. There is a stronger need than ever before to preserve and promote the protection and value for those that were here first. The longstanding ecosystem and the Kiwis that live in it are under threat and require strong policing of importation and international travelers. The indigenous culture and way of life necessitate political and social advocacy to combat the violence and the worldviews of the initial settlers and the institutionalized discrimination that resulted. Our goal should not be to keep the Kiwi in the zoo to be observed nor to simply preserve the Māori Culture for the sake of speculation – the goal is to protect and encourage the native world of Aotearoa and allow it space to thrive beyond its current level.