Māori Data Sovereignty for Te Taiao (Part 1)

Key Insights from Corey Ruha at Eco-index

• TL;DR

  • Eco-index is a purpose-driven, enviro-tech startup working to support systems change for Te Taiao through accessible, transparent environmental data.

  • Māori Data Sovereignty (MDS): data about the environment often relates to whenua Māori or iwi, hapū, whānau-led kaupapa and must be governed by Māori, for Māori.

  MDS has been informed by principles from several international and domestic authorities on the subject, including:

  • FAIR Principles: promotes technical openness (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).

  • CARE Principles: puts Indigenous rights at the centre of consideration (Collective benefit, Authority to control, Responsibility, Ethics).

  • Te Mana Raraunga and Te Kāhui Raraunga: leading Māori authorities on data sovereignty and governance with their own principles, models and resources.

  How Eco-index aligns with MDS:

  • Values-led: transparency, collaboration, and support for kaitiakitanga.

  • Clear data sourcing: showing the whakapapa of our tools.

  • Respect for Māori governance: space for mātauranga, not ownership of it.

  • Kaupapa Māori design: shaped by Māori researchers and iwi experience.

  Onshore hosting: all data processing happens in Aotearoa to protect sovereignty.

1. Why Māori Data Sovereignty Matters

At Eco-index, we’re committed to enabling regenerative, systems-based change for Te Taiao – our interconnected natural world. Our kaupapa is grounded in collaboration, transparency, inclusivity, and a deep respect for mātauranga Māori.

As an enviro-tech startup in Aotearoa New Zealand we engage with a wide range of data – including information about land, water, biodiversity, and people.

But data is never neutral.

Behind every dataset is a story – and often, a question of sovereignty.

Environmental data frequently intersects with whenua Māori and iwi, hapū, and whānau-led kaupapa. The right to govern, access, and control that data rests with Māori.

For environmental data infrastructure in Aotearoa to be ethical, inclusive, and future-focused, we believe that it must uphold Māori Data Sovereignty (MDS).

2. Frameworks & Authorities that Guide Us

Several Indigenous and global frameworks shape how we think about data governance, equity, and accountability. These include:

• FAIR Principles – Data should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. FAIR promotes technical openness and discoverability, but on its own, it doesn't address equity, power, or rights.

• CARE Principles – Developed by the Global Indigenous Data Alliance (GIDA), these principles centre on Collective benefit, Authority to control, Responsibility, and Ethics. CARE responds directly to the rights and needs of Indigenous peoples in data systems and seeks to ensure Indigenous data governance, cultural respect, and ethical considerations.

Two key Māori-led authorities advancing Māori data governance in Aotearoa are:

• Te Mana Raraunga – A Māori Data Sovereignty Network in Aotearoa consisting of Māori researchers and Māori data practitioners. Their kaupapa champions Māori control over Māori data, and the right for data to serve Māori aspirations. Their Six Principles - Rangatiratanga, Whakapapa, Whanaungatanga, Kotahitanga, Manaakitanga, and Kaitiakitanga - help frame our thinking and mahi.

• Te Kāhui Raraunga – An authority mandated by various Iwi Leaders advancing iwi and Māori data interests, especially in relation to the Census and other Crown and public workstreams. Their kaupapa emphasises consideration of tikanga Māori to guide system-wide governance of Māori data. Māori data isn't just about what's collected – it's also about who collects it, who holds it, and who decides how it's used.

Together, these frameworks and authorities help us ask better questions about ethics, equity, and power in environmental decision-making.

3. Eco-index alignment with Māori Data Sovereignty

Eco-index is still growing, and we approach this space with humility and openness. But from the outset, we’ve done our best to align our values and processes with Maori Data Sovereignty principles:

• Values alignment: Eco-index is built on values of transparency, collaboration, and empowerment. We aim to support kaitiaki by making environmental data more accessible and useful

• Transparency in data sourcing: We’ve clearly outlined our methods and documented the datasets we use, how they were integrated, and how they inform our tools – so their origins and purpose are visible and accountable.

• Supporting Māori-led data governance: We acknowledge that some data should be restricted, protected, or only accessible to iwi and hapū. Eco-index is not a repository for mātauranga Māori – but we are committed to making space for its inclusion, when appropriate and under Māori guidance.

• Kaupapa-informed design: Several of our kaimahi bring deep experience in kaupapa Māori research and work directly with their own iwi and hapū. Their insights help shape our design processes, ensuring our tools, protocols, and practices are tikanga-aligned and culturally grounded.

• Onshore data hosting: All Eco-index model training and processing happens on secure servers hosted in Aotearoa New Zealand, helping to protect data sovereignty and ensure local stewardship.

We know this is ongoing mahi. But we firmly believe that honouring Māori Data Sovereignty is not optional – it’s essential to doing our part for Te Taiao responsibly and respectfully.

4. Looking Ahead: Our Ongoing Commitment

This post is just the start of our kōrero on Māori Data Sovereignty. In Part 2, we’ll share more about how Eco-index is embedding MDS into our systems, partnerships, and accountability mechanisms – and how we plan to keep improving.

We welcome feedback, challenge, and collaboration as we continue on this journey.

Because data for Te Taiao must reflect the mana, rights, and aspirations of all its people – especially tangata whenua.

Kia tūhonohono ai te taiao me te tangata. So that people and nature are connected.