It represented years of accumulated knowledge passed down, he said.
Last year Malcolm won the emerging leader category at the New Zealand Biosecurity Awards, in recognition of his work helping Māori entities protect their environment and ensuring Māori have a say in how other agencies protect the environment.
“I was fortunate to be raised in te ao Māori, so when I hear others talk about ‘science’ and ‘mātauranga’ as two trains of thought, I am always of the opinion that they are one and the same. Our cultural and social values underpin our economy and I want to help others appreciate that.”