HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO LIANZA AND TE RŌPŪ WHAKAHAU!
To some LIANZA members born after the late 80s it might be strange to imagine a time before the library and information profession embraced biculturalism. Then again, some might say we still have plenty of work to do!
We’ve been looking back through the LIANZA archives and found this report from
Library Life, March 1995, Issue number 189:
February 3, 1995 saw the New Zealand Library & Information Association: Te Rau Herenga o Aotearoa complete the first stage of its development as a bicultural organisation. The Partnership
Agreement was signed on that day in the NZLIA Office.
The signing of the Agreement
(which will be reviewed annually) formalises the active cooperation between the two organisations established over the past few years. The Futures
Group Report in 1990 began the process but it was kick-started at the hui held at Tira Hou marae in February, 1991. That hui was called “Te Hikoi Marama ma te Tira Hou” (“a clear path for the new generation”).that path has been both carefully developed and followed in an atmosphere
of open communication and cooperation.
One of the Future Group report’s
key recommendations was that
a commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi be inserted into the Association’s mission statement. In November 1992, Te Rōpū Whakahau was formed.
Library Life caught up with
Founding Member of Te Rōpū
Whakahau, and Chief Librarian
Alexander Turnbull Library, Chris
Szekely and asked him to share
some memories of that time.
QWERE YOU AT TIRA HOU HUI? WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF THIS TIME?
AYes, I was one of the organisers of the Tira Hou hui. My sister was a ringa wera in the whare kai. We had fried bread and
of Te hīkoi mārama, a directory of Maori information resources was released that year. That’s the connection with the name of the hui. ‘Te hikoi mārama’ was roughly translated as ‘the clear or enlightened journey.’
Sue Pharo, the boss at Tauranga District Libraries, held a bicultural portfolio as a councillor on the NZLA Council. She led a discussion at the hui on The Futures Report, and the possibility of establishing a bicultural special interest group.
Public Library Websites (NZLIMJ, Vol 53, Issue No 1, Feb 2013) in 2013. In it he mentions the newly formed LIANZA Special Interest Groups and the role they played. He says:
As a highly motivated group of professionals intent on change, the SIG members encouraged libraries and librarians to become proactive in their engagement with Māori, increase their knowledge of the Treaty of Waitangi and Māori culture and to deliver services that meet the needs of Māori clients. This momentum was maintained through regular hui (meetings), articles in Library Life and lobbying at Council and regional levels throughout the Association. In 1992, the themes of biculturalism and the Treaty of Waitangi featured prominently at the N Strategy Conference in Nelson, with the scene being set by a resource paper on the Treaty of Waitangi co-ordinated by Dick Grace (1992). In November
1992, Te Rōpū Whakahau was formed and added a strong Māori dimension to the profession. The N Strategy momentum was continued in 1993 with the publication of the first of the Te Ara Tika reports (Macdonald,
1993), which provided an overview of biculturalism in the profession, with a particular focus on the role of public libraries and Ka Mahi Tonu in 1994 (Garraway & Szekely, 1994).’
CHRIS, DOES THIS ALIGN WITH YOUR MEMORIES? ARE YOU ABLE TO EXPAND ON THIS AT ALL?
Yes, broadly speaking. But there were other things in play as well. 1990 was New Zealand’s sesquicentennial, and there was a national focus on whether the signing of the Treaty was something worth celebrating. Instead the other C word, was chosen: ‘commemoration’ not ‘celebration.’ It became possible to make Treaty claims stretching back to 1840 and the Kohanga
Reo movement was hitting its stride.
The NZLA as it was then known, released the Futures Report which led to the N Strategy, which gave a focus to bicultural matters. There was a name change, a special interest group, the Te Ara Tika research project, the emergence of Te Rōpū Whakahau, all of which channelled into the partnership agreement. I was pleased to have a hand in drafting that.
There were some terrific advocates, among them a line of very supportive presidents.
These included Sue Sutherland, Sue Pharo, Ainslie Dewe, and Diane Maloney. Dick Grace and Helen Woodhouse co-led the NZ Strategy bicultural working group. And a bunch of Māori from within the profession came out of the woodwork to lend support and ultimately co-drive the process.
I have been asked to attend part of the LIANZA planning hui later this year to provide some background and context. That gives me time to search my memory banks and archive, and prepare something that more methodically lays out a few key moments. There were lots of people from all around the country who made valuable contributions to a really important bicultural movement.
It’s great that LIANZA and Te Rōpū Whakahau are recognising the 25 year anniversary of the partnership. It was a huge milestone for both associations.
WE’LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AFTER THE PLANNING HUI TO HEAR WHAT MEMORIES SURFACED! TĒNĀ RAWA ATU KOE, CHRIS! THANKS FOR TALKING WITH LIBRARY LIFE.