Tiaki is a Maori word and means to care for people and place.
There is a beautiful initiative now running in New Zealand. The islands are precious, and the organisers everyone who lives and travels here to make a simple promise, after all we all have a responsibility to look after it.
The Tiaki Promise is a commitment to care for New Zealand, for now and for future generations.
By following the Tiaki Promise, you are making a commitment to New Zealand. To act as a guardian, protecting and preserving our home. Nau Mai, Haere Mai Ki Aotearoa, Welcome to New Zealand.
Having said that I’d love to see this commitment extended to the entire planet, after all, everyone who lives here has a responsibility to look after it for now and for future generations.
Tiaki: A Promise to Care for Our World
New Zealand, with its breathtaking landscapes and rich Maori culture, is a treasure trove of natural and cultural wonders. Recognizing the precious nature of their islands, a coalition of tourism and conservation organizations launched the Tiaki Promise initiative. This program asks everyone who lives in or visits New Zealand to make a simple yet profound commitment: to act as a guardian of the land.
The promise is elegantly simple:
“While traveling in New Zealand, I will:
- Care for land, sea, and nature, treading lightly and leaving no trace
- Travel safely, showing care and consideration for all
- Respect culture, traveling with an open heart and mind”
By making this promise, visitors and residents alike commit to protecting New Zealand’s unique environment and respecting its cultural heritage. It’s a recognition that we all have a responsibility to care for the places we inhabit or visit.
In the beautiful Maori greeting, “Nau Mai, Haere Mai Ki Aotearoa” (Welcome to New Zealand), there’s an implicit understanding that visitors are being welcomed into a cherished home. The Tiaki Promise asks them to treat it as such.
Expanding Tiaki to a Global Vision
While the Tiaki Promise is specific to New Zealand, its underlying principle is universal. Our entire planet is precious, and everyone who lives here has a responsibility to look after it, not just for ourselves, but for future generations.
Imagine if we could extend this commitment globally. A worldwide Tiaki Promise might look something like this:
“As a citizen of Earth, I promise to:
- Care for our land, seas, and the web of life that sustains us all
- Live and travel responsibly, considering the impact of my actions on both local and global scales
- Respect the diverse cultures and traditions that enrich our world
- Make choices that prioritize the long-term health of our planet over short-term convenience
- Educate myself and others about the challenges facing our world and the solutions available
- Act as a guardian of Earth, protecting and preserving our shared home for future generations”
This expanded promise acknowledges that our actions have both local and global impacts. It recognizes that caring for our planet involves not just environmental stewardship, but also cultural respect and a commitment to education and positive action.
The Need for a Global Tiaki
In an era of climate change, biodiversity loss, and cultural homogenization, the need for a global ethic of care has never been more urgent. The principles embodied in the Tiaki Promise offer a roadmap for more sustainable and respectful ways of living and traveling.
By adopting a global Tiaki mindset, we can:
- Reduce our environmental footprint
- Preserve cultural diversity
- Foster mutual understanding and respect among peoples
- Ensure that future generations inherit a healthy, vibrant planet
Making It Personal
While global challenges can seem overwhelming, the beauty of the Tiaki Promise lies in its personal nature. It’s a commitment that each individual can make and act upon in their daily lives. Whether it’s reducing waste, choosing sustainable transportation options, supporting local cultures, or simply being more mindful of our impact on the world around us, we can all embody the spirit of Tiaki.
New Zealand’s Tiaki Promise offers a powerful model for how we can relate to the places we live in and visit. By expanding this concept globally, we can create a worldwide community of guardians, committed to caring for our shared home.
As we face unprecedented global challenges, the ethic of care embodied in Tiaki becomes not just admirable, but essential. It reminds us that we are all kaitiaki – guardians – of this beautiful, fragile planet we call home.
Let us all make the promise: to care for our world, to respect its diverse peoples and cultures, and to preserve its wonders for generations yet to come. In doing so, we honor the true spirit of Tiaki, ensuring that our global home remains a source of wonder, sustenance, and inspiration for all who inhabit it, now and in the future.
