There are five pillars of the Atua Matua framework

Environmental Knowledge - Matauranga Maori

Localised environmental Connections - Whakapapa

Communicating Environmental Knowledge - Huahuatau

Activities to Mobilise Atua Matua thinking - Whakatinanatanga

Environmental Signs as a decision making function - Tohutaka

Environmental Knowledge - Matauranga Maori

Matauranga Maori is the key overarching principle that allows the discovery of knowledge from differing environments including; oceans, rivers, forests and mountains. For many Māori, environmental knowledge represents the philosophical and methodological understanding of indigenous knowledge.

Localised environmental Connections - Whakapapa

Whakapapa helps to make connections between environments and people. and to form interactions with specific environments. For example, growing up near a coast, one will feel a strong connection to the ocean, its energy and particularly its’ patterns. We know that each geographical area comes with differing features suggesting that, for example a waka outrigger canoe will move differently in waitai (salt water) compared to waimāori (fresh water). Hence we paddle differently because of localised ways of connecting that are specific to that district alone. More succinctly, we are where we come from.

Communicating Environmental Knowledge - Huahuatau

Huahuatau is how we learn from our environment. We don’t just go out for a surf because we enjoy surfing. It is much deeper than that. Being in the ocean teaches us; decision making under pressure, time management, respect, humility and above all an understanding that we can learn from what the environment tells us.

Activities to Mobilise Atua Matua thinking - Whakatinanatanga

Organically, physical activity and its benefits should be a by-product of the search for knowledge. More often than not, healthy aspirations are not successful as people do not understand that physical activity, nutrition and wellbeing cannot be the only rationale for engaging. However, the pursuit of localised knowledge that has formed the basis of your family’s existence, well that will always recruit even the most unwilling to engage. 

Environmental Signs as a decision making function - Tohutaka

Learning to understand the natural environmental will enable us to monitor and make predictions about our personal lives. Noticing changes in the weather, in birds, in trees, in insects and lastly in fish reveals when we should act. Through the use of the Atua Matua framework, we are able to manage and change the perception of environmental risk by making decisions that are based on thousands of years of observation practices.