Scientific beliefs of Maori to be studied
By Eileen Goodwin
Visiting scholar in Japanese social anthropology will
devote part of her four-month stay at the University of Otago
researching the impact of Maori scientific beliefs.
Prof Joy Hendry, who has been awarded a De Carle
Distinguished Lectureship, opened her time at the university
as keynote speaker at the two-day workshop Beyond Oceans:
Rethinking Japan's Place in Pacific Anthropology, which
attracted international participation.
Prof Hendry was based in Oxford, England, and her work meant
she travelled a great deal, most recently to Australia to
research the impact of Aboriginals' scientific beliefs on
mainstream science. Aboriginal beliefs had an influence on
water management and controlled burn-off practices, as well
as climate change research.
She was yet to plan her New Zealand research, but would focus
on the influence of Maori scientific beliefs on the
mainstream here.
Best known for her work on Japan, Prof Hendry said that
partly as a legacy of its role in World War 2, it still did
not really consider itself part of Oceania.
Reconsidering Japan's place in the Pacific was an exciting
topic.
Prof Hendry will also guest lecture in several university
departments within the humanities, and a public lecture is
planned.
- eileen.goodwin@odt.co.nzLINK:
http://www.odt.co.nz/print/168702
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