Communiqué from LIAC following the meeting of 29 April 2005
The main item of business for the day was for LIAC to take time to reflect on the centrality of Mātauranga Māori to its purpose. LIAC is required to provide the Minister advice on:
- library and information issues in New Zealand, including mātauranga Māori, and access to library and information services
- the role of library and information services, including mātauranga Māori, in the cultural and economic life of New Zealand
Commissioner, Evelyn Tobin opened the discussion by providing a moving and thoughtful perspective Mātauranga Māori. Evelyn suggested that it was hard to define because, ‘for Māori, it is as fish would know about water’. Evelyn then wove an understanding of Mātauranga Māori into LIAC’s response to the three Cs of the Digital Strategy, and expanded on what it means for content, confidence and connection. She also drew parallels with LIAC’s vision (“Aotearoa – New Zealand: a leading information democracy”), and reinterpreted it as for people, by people, with people.
It was agreed that LIAC needed to consider how Mātauranga Māori fundamentally affected its approach and style. It is strong in the Act but there is the larger agenda around the Treaty of Waitangi, issues of participation, equity, identity, and the vision of a leading information democracy. There are many people not participating in basic democracy. Mātauranga Māori should inform our way of acting and the advice we offer. However we need to remember that mtauranga does not rest with institutions. It belongs to iwi.
LIAC also wishes to consider the Mātauranga Māori perspective on NZOnline. We are at the start of a long process. Mātauranga Māori is a new concept for some of us. The challenge for LIAC is to embed Mātauranga Māori into all its thinking.
We were fortunate also to have John Mohi (National Library’s Director, Services to Māori) available to contribute to the discussion. John brought LIAC up to date with some of the projects he is leading and set them in the context of this discussion.
Other areas covered at the meeting included:
- A presentation on the "AnyQuestions" - the highly successful online reference service for school children. This was accepted as a wonderful innovation with enormous potential. LIAC offered congratulations to everyone involved.
- Discussions with Steven Lulich, President of LIANZA and a presentation to Steven of the NZ Online concept that had been offered to the Ministers, the Hon Marian Hobbs and Hon David Cunliffe.
- Signoff on LIAC’s branding and website. The website is seen as critical for LIAC to both communicate and consult with its stakeholders. We are covering significant ground but are aware that apart from these Communiqués (and a certain amount of word-of-mouth) the message is not necessarily filtering through. All this is about to change. Watch this space!
Ainslie Dewe
Chair, LIAC
20 May 2005