Taonga Tuku Iho Survival 2050 Conference
The importance of maintaining priceless taonga and how technology will play a part in that will be the focus of a
conference Waikato-Tainui is hosting in August.
Taonga Tuku Iho Survival 2050 Conference will be held at Hopuhopu from the 01 – 03 August, and will be an opportunity
for whaanau, hapuu and iwi to learn best practises around the protection, preservation, maintenance, storage and
dissemination of taonga tuku iho.
Taonga tuku iho refers to valued possessions that are handed on to successive generations to ensure identity and
whakapapa remain intact.
“Today and in light of the increased interest by hapuu and iwi to have their taonga tuku iho digitised or captured in
some electronic format, are tikanga, kaupapa and kawa perpetuated? Or are tikanga, kaupapa and kawa completely ignored
in our haste to engage quickly and confidently with technology. Those are some of the issues we will address with this
conference,” says Conference Project Manager Hinureina Mangan.
Experts in cultural heritage from around the country will participate in the conference including lawyer Moana Jackson,
who will speak on Intellectual Property and Taonga Tuku Iho; Leo Watson on the Waitangi Tribunal Claim WAI262 -
Indigenous Flora and Fauna and Maori Intellectual and Cultural Property; Dr Tui Adams on Taonga Tuku Iho; and Michelle
Hippolite, Kaihautuu of Te Papa Tongarewa Museum who will speak about the work of Te Papa. Hinureina Mangan (Ngaati
Mahuta, Maketu Marae) has an extensive background in Maaori and Information Management and is currently working with
staff at Waikato-Tainui to improve protocols and procedures around the records held for the tribe. She says this type of
conference will provide a platform for participants to discuss the issues relating to tikanga, kawa, kaupapa and their
use in the digitisation of taonga tuku iho.
“Additionally it will enable our kaumaatua to see what developments are happening and inform our rangatahi on how
tikanga, kawa and kaupapa can be used when working with taonga tuku iho.”
For more information go to www.tainui.co.nz
ENDS