On the 25th July 2018, Waitangi, Rā, and Lisa contributed to and attended the Tuākana noho marae organized by the Māori Development Team and the Student Outreach Team.  It was an excellent opportunity to collaborate and participate (teach) outside of the usual Library and Institutional environment, and in an environment that resonates with Māori students. 

This was the first tuākana noho marae (overnight marae experience), in a contemporary customary marae/pā setting that the Māori Development team have organised.  This was held at Taumutu marae.  It was a first noho marae for 8 of the 12 students in attendance, comprised of 3 Education (2nd year BTchLn, 3rd year BTchLn Honours, PhD Education candidate), 4 Arts (te reo Māori, Māori & Indigenous Studies, German Language, History Honours) 5 Science (PhD Chemical Engineering, Molecular Science, Astronomy, Technology, Biology).  The content of the noho included:

UC Puna/Library Support

1. Manaakitanga: Visibility of support and assistance to Māori students – explaining the role of the customer service front desk and first services (first point of contact)
2. Access and dissemination of information: Navigating databases, accessing specialist support, the research process
3. Understanding the basic research/rangahau process

Bicultural Pillar

1. The nature of contemporary Māori organisational structures e.g. rūnanga, hapū, iwi, iwi corporations
2. Traditional and contemporary realities of Māori society e.g. tikanga and kawa, te reo Māori
3. The processes of colonisation and globalisation. Other indigenous models of development, knowledge and behaviours
4. Critical awareness – being aware of self and others

 Cultural Support/Mātauranga Māori

1. Te reo Māori and Māori cultural knowledge: What role Ngā Puna has in reconnecting disconnected strands of whakapapa
2. Creating cultural safe spaces to talk about Māori identity 

Teaching

1. Two handouts (7 Things, and Open Access in Aotearoa) very well received – open access discussion interesting in terms of reconnecting disconnections and the role it plays for Māori rediscovering their whakapapa and genealogical history
2. Two  Powerpoint presentations – 1. The Research Cycle & Manaakitanga services 2. Being Unapologetically Māori – resonated well with Tuākana

Some student and staff feedback:

• Never knew Library offered ALL of these services
• Some frustration around why the Library isn’t being identified as the Library but a ‘study space’ when they’ve been part of tours (this was in response to the information about Library tours run by the Library, and the general tours run by wider UC)
• ‘so there are Māori working in the Library?’ expressed surprise from one student in response to having Māori library staff present
• ‘those library stats were interesting’ – in response to the stats on how the Library improves student success if students engage in our services early in their tertiary experience
• ‘your kōrero about cultural stereotyping, prejudice, and identifying bias really resonated with me’ grateful student on her journey to reclaiming her Māori identity
• Michelle pointed out how good it was for the students to meet us out there face to face, and the students were all nodding in agreement, that now they know us and can associate faces they know with the library, they will feel much more confident to come and see us for help.