The situation around stricken cargo ship Rena is getting worse as it continues to leak oil and lose containers off the Tauranga coast. Maritime New Zealand have said more than 350 tons of oil have been spilled into the ocean. Tribal elder of Motiti Island, Graham Hoete holds back tears as he looks at the beach he used to play on and the sea he used to swim in since the age of 8, now covered in oil, scattered timber and thousands of plastic bottles. The pungent fumes of the oil can be smelled across much of the northern end of Motiti Island and have been reported to cause headaches and nausea. Motiti Island is located off the Bay of Plenty coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is 21 kilometers northeast of Tauranga and has also been affected by the Rena disaster. “It hurts right here,” Hoete said, patting his chest. As tribal leader, Hoete had just come from a meeting at the island marae (meeting hall) with a Conservation Department official. The department official told the small gathering that it would be many months before they could safely fish for their food again. Food will be flown in to the island for residents at no cost. In response one man said, “don't worry about food for us. We can look after ourselves. Look after the moana (sea). That needs all the attention.” The official warned residents to stay away from the oil and that it was likely containers falling from the Rena could wash up on the island's west coast. “The seafood is our livelihood here. We come down and get enough for a feed and take it home. I don't know what we'll do. We're just going to have to forget about seafood for now,” said Hoete. “I'm pretty hurt about it. For years, I've been watching ships go past the island. Some go this side of the Astrolabe reef, some go the other side. I always said one day they'd get caught out. Sure enough they have,” he said. “There's no way they'll get the oil off these rocks. They should leave it to Tangaroa (Maori God of the sea). It will clean itself, but it will take a long time,” he added. Like many others, Hoete was angry at the time taken for the recovery process and clean-up to begin. He said, “There's been too much hui, not enough do-ey. The oil should have come out when it was calm.” History shows marine conservation was a practical aspect of Maori life. The Maori established rahui (bans), which restricted the harvest of fish species at certain times, and sometimes included size limits. There were tapu (restrictions) relating to certain practices, for example polluting fishing areas with human waste. Rules existed to prevent damage to fishing grounds with nets and lines. The Maori's relationship with the sea is narrated by a rich culture of tradition and a belief in the God of the sea, Tangaroa. BM
