Cutting the Legs of the Ancestors or Binding the Broken Wounds - A Call to Action

Our forests and other native ecosystems are links to our past, anchoring us to billions of years of evolutionary history, to the stories and knowledge of our ancestors, to life itself. Trees such as kauri play a significant role biologically and culturally as ecosystem engineers, habitats; as sources of food, medicine and other resource, lynchpins for storytelling, landmarks.

Recent scientific developments are deepening understanding of the intricate links between the health of species within local ecosystems and – with growing awareness of our climate emergency – in the greater ecosystem of our planet, re-affirming what indigenous knowledge systems have taught for generations about the inter-relationships and inter-dependence of species. Just as these links are becoming clearer, however, what is also becoming stark is that we are on the brink of the losing both key individuals and whole forest systems.

What does the loss of these significant trees mean for our own survival? What signals can we see in the crumbling of our ecosystems for the crumbling of our cultural and social health? In the destruction of trees and all that goes with them, whether by wilful action or sheer neglect, are we cutting our own lifeline? And if so, how do we ‘halt the chainsaws’ – whether biological or mechanical?

Join a group of environmental advocates, scientists, cultural activators and artists to discuss urgent issues of biodiversity, environmental damage and cultural maintenance; to set a new agenda for our relationship to trees, to forest, to each other.

An event for The Kauri Project exhibition – Tāne Te Waiora / Shall we work together?