I attended the Matauranga Maori workshop at Te Whatumanawa Maoritanga o Rehua Marae yesterday. After a speedy learn of the LIANZA waiata (I didn’t know we had one!), the day began with a powhiri. Terry Ryan was an interesting speaker and had a stunning knowledge of the peoples and events of the marae.

Tangimeriana Rue lead the first workshop session on Taha Wairua: A Maori world view. A definition of Matuaranga Maori was offered and several Maori values were talked about. Tangimeriana said that wairuatanga was an important value for Maori. She said wairuatanga includes spirituality, balance, emotions, work/play hard. A Maori knowledge framework is based upon the holistic Maori world view. She gave us a few ideas of where to from here…including a website where you can sign up for a Maori word for the day (www.kupu.maori.nz). For me, I think this session was very informative and gave me a lot to think about.

An amazing session followed on language, dialect and pronunciation by Hinerangi Kara. She is a vibrant teacher and had us all singing and laughing.

We were given a background to the Maori Subject Headings (MSH)bt Mereana Coleman and Jacinta Paranihi. A few catalogue records were shown to illustrate the odd ways Maori subjects were having to be described using LC. For example, a book on poi was given the subject heading of Maori (New Zealand People) – Antiquities: Folk Dancing, Maori. MSH had to fit the existing LC file structure, while encompassing Matuaranga Maori. An Iwi Hapu names list has been developed and is hosted at http://iwihapu.natlib.govt.nz/iwi-hapu/. I got the impression that there had been many years of work to get to the point we are at now.

The shortest Te Tiriti o Waitangi session, by Eddie Neha, followed where partnership was the main focus. The partnership between LIANZA and Te Ropo Whakahau was held up as an example. Running out of time, we had two shorter sessions on Maori research methodologies and Matauranga Maori within libraries. The over-riding message was one of encouragement. Just try and do the things that you can in your everyday life, even if they feel like small things.

And there was the fabulous hospitality of the marae, the kai, and the people. Library folk came from all over the South island and I enjoyed meeting up with colleagues and chatting about library stuff in general, as we tend to do when together.

It was a great workshop and I would really recommend it to others. Thanks to the library for giving me the opportunity to attend.
Kathryn