A focus on Māori and Indigenous Research

Our research on how Māori and other Indigenous peoples (internationally) engage with information and knowledge is from a position of empowerment.

Libraries, archives, and other information-related institutions in New Zealand were introduced after Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed in 1840.  As colonial constructs, they have traditionally been focused on the representation of Western knowledge, with other cultures being represented by perspectives that were not reflective of their worldview.

The research trajectory associated with Māori and indigenous information has been a dynamic and evolving field internationally that has been focused on key areas, including data sovereignty, Indigenising and decolonising practices, the role of cultural heritage institutions in promoting the revitalisation of Indigenous languages, and improving accessibility to Indigenous collections.

Within the School of Information Management, research interests in this area aim to empower Māori and Indigenous communities to engage positively with information and to identify how they can foster the preservation and revitalisation of indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage within Indigenous and non-Indigenous institutions. Critical to this is identifying how the cultural capacity and competencies of Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff members can be strengthened.

Indigenisation and decolonisation theory and strategies have been significant areas of research within the Māori and indigenous information field. Research on this area in the school has examined ways to challenge and transform colonial systems and structures that have historically marginalised indigenous communities. It has involved analysing the impact of colonisation on indigenous knowledge systems and exploring strategies to indigenize institutions, such as libraries, archives, and educational systems. The research has also focused on incorporating indigenous perspectives, values, and ways of knowing into these institutions to promote inclusivity and respect for indigenous knowledge.

An area of increasing research importance has been the concept of data sovereignty. Māori and Indigenous communities have long been subject to collecting and using their data by external entities, often without their consent or control. Research in this area has sought to address this power imbalance by advocating for the recognition of Indigenous data sovereignty, which grants Indigenous communities the right to govern and control their own data, and how this impacts their relationships with official agencies.

Other priorities for our researchers are how Indigenous languages are represented in heritage institutions including their use in intellectual access, collection development, and delivery of services and resources. This research starts with the recognition that Indigenous languages are themselves repositories of unique knowledge and that their preservation and revitalisation are critical to the survival and future development of the knowledge system that they inform.

Indigenous collection development policies and strategies have also received attention in this research trajectory. This area of study has examined how information institutions can engage with indigenous communities to develop collections that reflect their diverse cultural heritage and provide knowledge in accessible formats.

In summary, the research trajectory associated with Māori and indigenous information encompasses diverse themes and areas of inquiry. In focusing on these themes our researchers aim to have a positive impact on how Indigenous communities engage with cultural heritage institutions and are empowered to seek Indigenous solutions to preserving traditional knowledge for future generations.

Our scholars of Maori and indigenous research, and their collaborators, disseminate the results of their research through journal articles, conferences, workshops, and public engagement activities. Find out more from Spencer Lilley.