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Home < Policy < Submissions < Briefing paper on Maori title, January 2004

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Briefing paper to the Minister on the Māori title of LIAC

 

 

Background

 

Members have requested information on the background to the Māori title of the Commission, in particular who submitted the Māori title and if Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (The Māori Language Commission) was involved. There is also some brief comment on the meaning embedded in the Māori title of the Commission.

 

Comment

 

In June 2001, Cabinet approved the policy for the National Library Amendment Bill.  At that time as part of addressing Māori interests in the National Library, Cabinet agreed in principle to the inclusion of an appropriate Māori name for the Commission in the body of the Act.  In September 2001, the National Library approached Te Taura Whiri and the Library’s kaumatua, the late Dr Miria Simpson for help with identifying a suitable Māori name for the Commission. They submitted a number of options for consideration, including the title eventually included in the Act:

 

• Ngā Kaitohutohu i te Minita o Te Puna Mātauranga (Advisors to the Minister Responsible for the National Library);

 

• Te Kōmihana Whakamārama (Commission for explaining, making matters clear);

 

• Ngā Kaiwhakamārama i ngā Kohikohinga Kōrero i te Minita (Those who explain library and information (gathering) to the Minister); and

 

• Ngā Kaitohutohu i te Minita i te ahua o ngā mahi a nga whare pukapuka o te motu (Advisors to the Minister on matters/issues regarding the services of the libraries (throughout the land)).

 

 

The National Library, in close consultation with the late Dr Miria Simpson selected the current title as the most suitable and working best for the organisation. This title was subsequently included in draft versions of the Bill from early November 2001. National Library files indicate that “i te Minita” was dropped off the selected name to give the proposed Māori title the broader literal meaning “those who clarify or explain or advise on collections/collecting of information”. This may be interpreted literally to mean all knowledge workers. However, idiomatically, together with the English name, the title means “the advisers on the library and information sector” or “the official advisors on the library and information sector”. 

 

The involvement of both the Library’s kaumatua, the late Dr Miria Simpson and Te Taura Whiri gives a guarantee of language assurance in respect of the Māori title of the Commission. Te Taura Whiri made a submission on the Bill in July 2002 and did not raise any issues in connection with the proposed Māori title.