ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a case study of Mori geographic information systems (GIS), a new generation of indigenous GIS practitioners is reshaping the relationship between traditional oral knowledge traditions, map-making, and tribal governance. It also discusses case study of Mori communities in New Zealand that are designing GIS to meet the needs of iwi authorities and to develop a new indigenous cartography. The chapter also presents the potential of participatory GIS (PGIS) for bridging social scientific and humanistic approaches to research through "story-mapping". PGIS can reveal hidden patterns and powerfully represent multiple meanings, practices, and experiences of a place. All three cases involve community or indigenous groups that are trying to gain more self-determination and decision-making power in land use, urban planning, and environmental policy settings. The chapter discusses a project in post-apartheid South Africa that explored different social groups' perceptions of land use and forced evictions as a path toward strengthening black farmers' land rights.
