Māori communities in New Zealand are grappling with a pressing issue: food insecurity, which is deeply rooted in the historical and ongoing impacts of colonization. But here's where it gets controversial: the study led by Dr. Madeline Shelling challenges the notion that food insecurity is solely a result of individual choice or lifestyle. Instead, it highlights the systemic issues that have dismantled Māori food systems across generations, including land loss, environmental degradation, restrictive laws, and the marginalization of mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge).
Dr. Shelling's research, which began with a visit to her whānau (family) in Te Araroa, revealed that despite their pride in the food they could source from the land, they were still considered food insecure. This is because the current assessment methods for food security in Aotearoa (New Zealand) do not align with Māori values, traditions, or knowledge. These assessments are based on a questionnaire with eight questions focused on monetary access to food, which is not the primary means of accessing food in the Māori and many indigenous cultures worldwide.
The consequences of food insecurity in Aotearoa, a wealthy settler colonial nation, are evident in obesity, diabetes, and non-communicable and diet-related diseases, which carry a stigma. Dr. Shelling emphasizes that having limited access to unhealthy food is a common issue faced by indigenous people in settler-colonized countries, and yet individual choice is still blamed. She poses thought-provoking questions: What if fish and chips are the only accessible option in your area? What if you work two jobs and lack transport, making McDonald's your only walkable choice?
Dr. Shelling argues that reducing food insecurity to individual choice ignores the systemic issues faced by people in lower socio-economic areas and excludes those who have experienced colonization. She states, "Colonization is such an important determinant of food insecurity and it has to be acknowledged so that we can remove some of these stigmas about individuals having choice over their food." The study identified four key impacts of colonization: loss of land, erosion of rangatiratanga (Māori sovereignty), marginalization of Māori knowledge, and impacts on health.
To address food insecurity, Dr. Shelling emphasizes the responsibility from both the top-down (policy implementation) and the bottom-up (daily actions and choices of whānau). She clarifies that Māori are actively trying to address the issue and do not want to be reliant on fast food and takeaways. By truly understanding the effects of colonization on food systems, we can move beyond victimhood and take responsibility for tangata tiriti (people of the treaty) and tangata whenua (indigenous people) to implement solutions from both the top-down and the bottom-up.
