There are more than 16,000 Māori treasures held in overseas museums, art galleries and allied institutions. Unfortunately, the knowledge about many of these taonga has been mainly confined to museum personnel, academics and scholars who have visited these institutions. Māori people have been largely dislocated and alienated from their taonga and been the passive observers of the research and knowledge about them.

This research project is ensuring Māori taonga and information about them is made more accessible for Māori people. Principal Investigator Arapata Hakiwai says digitisation has made this possible and the project will investigate what’s required to create a digital database of the taonga.

To date, the research team has been looking at past research, with a literature review underway. They are investigating similar digital initiatives in New Zealand and overseas, for example, work being done by the Sámi people in Norway and the First Nation Peoples in Canada, and have established an advisory group and a working group.

The team is undertaking a scoping report and identifying what Māori want; the issues and opportunities; and involving key people and organisations.

“This project is important for reconnection and revitalisation – it has transformative qualities,” says Arapata.