Me ua e te ua in Māori means “let the rain fall.” The whakaoaki or wise traditional saying is meant to express to let destiny run its course. Stormwater engineers however play an important role in studying, planning and responding to water. However, maybe instead of prescribing how we say water should behave we ought to spend more time listening to the will of water.
Field methods
High tech solutions (CAD, satellite, surveys) are excellent for creating an abstract representation of the land. The usage of these tools have also removed and displaced us from data that is experienced and felt on the ground. More than just site visits to cross check high tech information, living with and on land to sharpen our instincts can surface memory and experience embedded in the landscape
Living with land
To live this experience, requires the engineer to step away from the office cubicle and corporate culture. Inserting oneself in a village or tribe that grows their own food, creates their clothe and raises their own animals requires patience instead of the rapid analysis and calculation of computers. Forming an intuitive understanding of water that is built on watching, listening and touching to its behavior throughout the year.
Managing expectations
Escaping capitalism’s never ending hustle can seem exciting at first, but the living within a tribal community won’t come without its challenges. Especially since our primal senses are dulled in the modern system, many things might feel like walking for the first.
