Abstract
Many youths today are disconnected from nature. Although technology cannot substitute for real-life connection of youth to the environment, it can enable nature connectedness, a key factor in reclaiming cultural identity which is intrinsically embedded in nature for Indigenous Maori people. We explore Indigitization as a mechanism for transferring Indigenous ecological knowledge (matauranga) through digital platforms: virtual reality (VR), and graphic novel (GN) in Maori and English.We used these technologies to capture the pu over bar ra over bar kau (story) of a sacred area for Te Rarawa iwi (tribe) in New Zealand, to transfer Indigenous ecological knowledge (ma over bar tauranga) about Au Warawara Forest to youth. We assessed the impact of these digital resources on 122 students from Te Rarawa, from both local schools and the wider North Island, who attended a culturally based environmental program.The aim was to increase student levels of ma over bar tauranga in ecology. We surveyed students before and after exposure to VR and GN. Students responded positively to the VR, but student enthusiasm for both resources was high. After these experiences, students reported deeper connections to their history and the environment, and with increased awareness of ma over bar tauranga. More than half of the youth preferred experiencing VR and GN in Maori.These results show that Indigenous narratives conveyed through digital media support the transfer of ecological matauranga Maori. Use of technologies such as VR and GN are likely to be critical for future biodiversity conservation sustainability through reconnection of Indigenous youth to cultural and ecological knowledges.