Whanaungatanga
Relationships, trust, reciprocity and shared responsibility.
Doctoral research
Weaving worlds for a more resilient Canterbury.
Indigenous-guided disaster resilience in Canterbury’s agricultural sector: relationships, stewardship, cultural integrity and practical action.
Doctor of Business Administration
Manipal GlobalNxt University
Submitted March 2025
The research
Indigenous-guided disaster resilience in Canterbury’s agricultural sector.
The thesis examines how agricultural businesses, Māori knowledge holders, communities and public institutions can work together to strengthen disaster resilience in Canterbury.
It considers the relationships between mātauranga Māori, scientific evidence, practical business risk management, environmental stewardship and long-term community resilience.
The research does not treat mātauranga Māori as a resource to be extracted or simply added to existing systems. It starts from the premise that cultural authority, consent, reciprocity, relationships and place all matter.
Relationships
Trust, reciprocity and shared responsibility across sectors.
Resilience
Preparedness, adaptation, recovery and continuity.
Stewardship
Long-term care for whenua, wai, people and future generations.
Research focus
The central question
How can mātauranga Māori be ethically and respectfully integrated with agricultural business practice to strengthen disaster resilience in Canterbury?
The research considered practical questions around collaboration, knowledge sharing, cultural integrity, business continuity, environmental stewardship, policy settings and the conditions needed for durable, place-based resilience.
Approach
Constructivist grounded theory, supported by qualitative interviews and secondary evidence.
Context
Canterbury’s agricultural landscape, natural hazards, communities and regional systems.
Intent
To identify ethical, practical and culturally grounded pathways for collaboration.
Research contribution
The WEKA Framework
The research developed the WEKA Framework as a way of thinking through ethical, place-based and collaborative approaches to resilience.
Enabling
Supportive structures, resourcing, policy and practical conditions for action.
Kaitiakitanga
Guardianship, environmental care and intergenerational responsibility.
Authenticity
Cultural integrity, appropriate consent and ethical knowledge governance.
Key findings
Resilience is more than infrastructure and emergency plans.
The research points to four practical considerations for agricultural resilience and collaborative action.
Relationships come first
Durable resilience depends on genuine relationships, not one-off consultation. Trust, time, reciprocity and clear expectations are foundational.
Authority and consent matter
Effective collaboration requires culturally safe engagement, appropriate consent, and meaningful influence over how knowledge is used.
Place shapes resilience
Catchments, landscapes, farming systems, hazards, ecosystems and community networks all shape what practical resilience looks like.
The long term is practical
Decisions that protect soil, water, biodiversity, livelihoods and community capability reduce vulnerability before the next disruption occurs.
Appropriate use
A framework for reflection, not a template to impose.
The WEKA Framework is a doctoral research contribution. It is not a substitute for mana whenua authority, tikanga, local relationships or established decision-making processes.
Any practical application needs to be developed with the relevant iwi, hapū, rūnanga, landowners, communities and knowledge holders. The framework is intended to support better questions, stronger relationships and more thoughtful practice.
For communities
A basis for discussing local resilience, relationships and long-term priorities.
For organisations
A prompt to consider governance, knowledge-sharing, consent and practical capability.
For researchers
A contribution to discussion on knowledge integration, resilience and ethical collaboration.
Full publication
Weaving Worlds: The WEKA Framework for Indigenous-Guided Disaster Resilience in Canterbury’s Agricultural Sector
Doctor of Business Administration thesis, Manipal GlobalNxt University, March 2025.
Suggested citation
Swiggs, D. (2025). Weaving Worlds: The WEKA Framework for Indigenous-Guided Disaster Resilience in Canterbury’s Agricultural Sector. Doctor of Business Administration thesis, Manipal GlobalNxt University.
The research is shared for public learning and discussion. Please respect the intellectual, cultural and ethical context of material concerning mātauranga Māori.