7. Part 1: Understand the New Zealand context of your work, in particular awareness of the Treaty of Waitangi and Matauranga Maori: Kaupapa Maori and INNZ

Investigate the ideas and philosophy behind kaupapa Maori methodologies in terms of understanding the needs of Maori clients of Index New Zealand (INNZ). Report findings back to indexing colleagues.

BOK 4 - Information Transfer Process.
BOK 11 - Indigenous Knowledge Paradigms.


'Maori world view : an introduction'
In her article Sally Pewhairangi talks about how, as a Maori, she prefers the benefits of face-to-face contact over those of establishing email contact. To be able to "make connections, create rapport and having meaningful conversations" requires more than email and Sally prefers to take (and more importantly make) the time to do this. In her Maori world view people matter and this is one way she shows this.

In terms of INNZ, perhaps this is a lesson for us in not directing Maori users to the online, full-text options but to welcome phone conversations or physical visits in order to discuss the user's searching needs. 

Critical success factors for effective use of e-learning with Maori learners
This NZ Council of Educational Research report describes the experiences of participants at a hui held in December 2004. It discusses what needs to happen to ensure the successful merging of experts in Maori epistemology and tikanga with experts in the retrieval of information and knowledge.

It terms of INNZ it suggests the need for Maori users to be able to cooperate with indexers to help build expertise in search and retrieval within the database, all the while being sensitive to the cultural learning needs of the user by being aware of and being able to demonstrate an understanding of the appropriate principles and values such as mana, tapu, manaakitanga, aroha, tino rangatiratanga (self-determination and empowerment) and whanaungatanga.

The role of research in cross-cultural communication in Aotearoa/New Zealand
This is a chapter by Elspeth Tilley and Tyron Love from the 2005 'Communication in the New Zealand workplace : theory and practice' edited by Frank Sligo and Ralph Bathurst. It presents "a view of communication with Maori, through the eyes of Maori academic scholars" (p. 52) and provides some interesting insights into what we as librarians might do to improve that communication.

It recommends not only further reading, but actual interaction in relevant physical settings. Gaining experience, learning by doing, realising that each communication situation will be different so that we as librarians need to be constantly working to understand and recognise both our own cultural assumptions while being open enough to learn more about Maori ways - this they say is the central principle of kaupapa Maori research - "resistance to any automatic or assumed 'rightness', 'naturalness' or dominance of Pakeha ways" (p.47). The Maori have already had to work to understand our colonial ways - now it is our turn. Always ask the question 'Who will gain most from this (user/librarian) communication?' and how can you as a librarian make sure it will be the user?

Not only does it reiterate the idea of interaction but it suggests that this interaction takes place outside the library, for example at the marae. Librarians (and indexers) would visit Maori users where they are most comfortable. It also reminds us that whomever we work with as a Maori user is part of a whanau and not an individual and that there may be other people, such as kaumatua, who will be involved.

Another point this chapter raises is that "no business (read libraries) operating in New Zealand can afford to ignore the specific communication expectations and needs of its Maori shareholders". Who can honestly say that they participate in ongoing professional development focussed on learning about the Maori culture?

So, in terms of INNZ, in order to improve our communication with our Maori users, we need to interact with them outside of the National Library. We need to visit them in their institutions, where they are using INNZ and talk to them, following a protocol that they are familiar with, about how they find INNZ as a database, where it works for them and where it does not.

Delivering a strategy for working with Maori, and developing responsiveness to an increasingly multicultural population: a perspective from the National Library of New Zealand

This is a 2009 paper by John H. Mohi and Winston D. Roberts of the National Library of New Zealand and as such it brings a New Zealand library perspective to this topic.

In terms of understanding the needs of Maori clients it asserts that the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aoteroa Act 2005 recognises matauranga Maori as a knowledge system. It ensures that a Maori perspective is maintained through a national consultative and facilitative process. And, as all of the previous articles have stipulated, so does this: "there is no substitute for face-to-face dialogue - kanohi ki te kanohi" (p.51).

Through the 'Te Kaupapa Mahi Tahi a Plan for Partnership' staff found that Maori wanted full access to all information, they wanted government institutions to work with them as partners, and they wanted respect for their culture.

When it comes to staff professional development the paper outlines how it encourages staff to participate in national professional associations and it supports Maori language classes for all staff, from introductory to expert level. They also make a point of using the term 'encourages' as they note they cannot legislate for bi-cultural awareness, they can only encourage it to develop. This seems to weaken the need pointed out in the Tilley and Love paper for businesses to address the specific communication expectations and needs of its Maori shareholders. It is therefore up to the individual to take up the call.

But like Tilley and Love it concludes that "the National Library's development is a never-ending learning process, where continuous improvement has become a way of life" (p.56).

In terms of we as indexers meeting the needs of our Maori clients and users, while the National Library recognises the need to embrace matauranga Maori I do not see it filtering down through the levels and into the daily work perspective of cataloguers and indexers. It is a background something we are aware of but not actually practicing routinely.

In conclusion, we at Index New Zealand (INNZ) need to actively seek out our Maori users and encourage an ongoing and personal relationship between the two groups in order to better understand the methodologies we are both using and how we at INNZ can work with their needs in mind rather than ours. We need to understand their needs and reflect on how we are working to meet them. We need to sit alongside them in their environment as they interact with the INNZ database to see how they use it and what issues they have with it. We need to introduce ourselves to our Maori users. 

At the time of submission I am yet to report these findings back to my indexing colleagues, but I have talked about this with my team leader as something to pursue in the new year.