Wai Pasifika: Indigenous ways in a changing climate

Description

In this beautifully written and stunningly illustrated book, David Young focuses on the increasingly endangered resource of freshwater, and what so-called developed societies can learn from the indigenous voices of the Pacific. Combining nineteenth century and indigenous sources with a selection of modern studies and his own personal encounters, Young keeps a human face on the key issue of water. He confirms that the gift of indigenous people to their colonisers is that they offer systematic and different concepts of being in, and experiencing, nature. It is time people woke up to the dangers and began to embrace possible solutions, Young argues in this inspiring and deeply moving study. Current trends in water management are not only wasteful and destructive but also ultimately deadly. He concludes, however, on a hopeful note, arguing that there is potential for change. The future rests on developing the discipline of deep respect for place, for planet and for life in its myriad forms.

David Young is one of New Zealand's most respected environmental authors, who has published widely in essays, articles, magazines and books. His recent books include: Faces of the River: NZ's living water (with Bruce Foster) (1986); Our Islands, Our Selves: A history of conservation in New Zealand (Otago University Press, 2004); Woven by Water: Histories from the Whanganui River (Huia, 2006); Whio: Saving New Zealand's endangered blue duck (Craig Potton, 2006) and Rivers: New Zealand's shared legacy (Random House, 2013).

For a long time David Young has been one of the clearest and most respected writers on New Zealand ecology, a champion for what its people hold in trust. - Vincent O'Sullivan