Wai Pasifika

In this beautifully written and stunningly illustrated book, David Young focuses on the increasingly endangered resource of freshwater, and what so-called developed societies can learn from the Indigenous voices of the Pacific. Combining nineteenth century and Indigenous sources with a selection of modern studies and his own personal encounters, Young keeps a human face on the key issue of water. He confirms that the gift of Indigenous people to their colonisers is that they offer systematic and different concepts of being in, and experiencing, nature.

It is time people woke up to the dangers and began to embrace possible solutions, Young argues in this inspiring and deeply moving study. Current trends in water management are not only wasteful and destructive but also ultimately deadly.

He concludes, however, on a hopeful note, arguing that there is potential for change. The future rests on developing the discipline of deep respect for place, for planet and for life in its myriad forms.

Reviews of other works by Young

Woven by Water … gives us information and analysis plus feeling; it doesn’t simply inform, it resonates … I commend it wholeheartedly. – Michael King

For a long time David Young has been one of the clearest and most respected writers on New Zealand ecology, a champion for what its people hold in trust. – Vincent O’Sullivan