This seminar will discuss the methodologies, ethics, processes and procedures encountered in using new and emerging technologies to develop databases of Māori taonga in overseas museums, the digital repatriation of taonga and the creation of digital libraries of mātauranga Māori.

The speakers Arapata Hakiwai, Dr Wayne Ngata, Dr Hēmi Whaanga will focus on three Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga research projects that use technology to connect iwi, hapū and whānau with their taonga, history and mātauranga:
• Virtual repatriation: a database of Māori taonga in overseas museums, led by Arapata Hakiwai from Te Papa, the National Museum of New Zealand
• Te Ataakura: Re-connecting voyage collections in archives and museums through the creation of digital taonga, led by Dr Wayne Ngata, the Ministry of Education
• The ethics, processes and procedures associated with the digitisation of the Pei Jones collection, led by Dr Hēmi Whaanga from The University of Waikato

The speakers will share the research teams’ experiences, methodologies and strategies developed in each project and discuss some of the common issues that arise when using new technology in this developing research area.

Dr Hēmi Whaanga (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Māmoe, Waitaha) is a research officer in Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao (The School of Māori and Pacific Development) at the University of Waikato. Hēmi has been involved, in various capacities as a project leader, writer and researcher, in a range of linguistic, indigenous Māori knowledge and curriculum projects. He has published in the areas of indigenous Māori knowledge, traditional ecological knowledge, language revitalisation, linguistics, language teaching and curriculum development.