Abstract

In this paper – drawing from a range of food blogs and social media pages – I consider both the ways in which Māori writers discuss some of the barriers and cultural conflicts experienced within the realm of vegan ethics, as well as their perspectives on various facets of Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) such as kaitiakitanga (guardianship), hauora (holistic health and wellbeing), and rangatiratanga (sovereignty) which have influenced their attitudes and approaches towards veganism and plant-based diets. I argue that these diverse perspectives provide a valuable means of analysing and critiquing both the dominant ethics and attitudes which perpetuate the exploitation of non-human animals in contemporary Western society, as well as the barriers and challenges that exist within the mainstream vegan movement.

Keywords: Veganism, Te Ao Māori, Indigenous veganism, food

How to Cite:

Dunn, K., (2019) “Kaimangatanga: Maori Perspectives on Veganism and Plant-based Kai”, Animal Studies Journal 8(1), 42-65.