Tikanga Māori : animal cadavers used for teaching animal euthanasia

Abstract

The importance Mäori place on the environment and animals in particular is evidenced in Mäori oral narratives and proverbial sayings. Understanding Mäori knowledge and the cultural norms associated with animals is benefi cial to animal welfare inspectors and building stronger relationships with Mäori communities.

One of the core functions of being an animal welfare inspector is to mitigate animal suffering, pain and distress, a common method of which is emergency euthanasia of the animal(s). Mäori report a level of anxiety performing euthanasia on live animals, which highlights the importance for natural sciences to provide Mäori-centred support and culturally relevant teaching. Animal euthanasia, taught using ethically sourced animal cadavers, is a difficult, sensitive and culturally complex subject to teach students. The cultural safety of staff and students is paramount. We have implemented a number of tikanga Mäori (Mäori customs) strategies, and feedback on these mätauranga Mäori (Mäori traditional knowledge) initiatives has been very positive: increasing cultural awareness, providing culturally relevant support for Mäori students