About
Us
Current executive members are:
Ross Himona - Kaumatua and Honary Life member
Karaitiana Taiuru - Interim Chairman
Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara
Teanau Tuiono
Below is a list of objectives and goals which
will be added to as we develop and evolve:
- New Zealand Māori Internet Society recognise the urgent need
for Māori to begin defining what the internet is to Māori,
how are and will Māori be affected, and Māori culture and
identity impacted by this. Also it is pertinent to be able to foresee
and predict its long term impact on Māori society and identity.
- New Zealand Māori Internet Society believe that the migration
and increased participation of Māori onto the internet and world
wide web need not be limited to being mere participants only in
the current structure and facilities available.
Rather, we believe that the internet and World Wide Web can be fashioned
and shaped to better encapsulate our culture and discourses.
- New Zealand Māori Internet Society recognises that Māori
have a long history of resistance to the commodification of their
culture and knowledges.
We also recognise that current intellectual property laws are completely
inadequate at protecting Māori culture from commercial exploitation.
- New Zealand Māori Internet Society believe that modes of
communication and dissemination of information are inadequate to
encompass and promote future dynamic growth of Māori culture,
values and discourse, online.
Objectives of theNew Zealand Māori Internet
Society are as follows:
1/ to promote and define a strong Māori presence and entity
on the internet.
2. Participate and seek relationships with many national and International
IT bodies.....
3/ to promote internet service creators over services users and
participants.
1/ to promote and define a strong Māori presence and entity
on the internet.
According to early anthropologists, Māori would disappear by
the turning of the 19th century. Yet this culture of people are
still alive and well, and struggling to survive and maintain identity
in a heavily colonised and commericalised world.
With the push by western block countries for a singular consumer
culture, the internet currently presents a new and more devastating
tool of neo-colonisation and assimilation into the larger dominant
western paradigms and super-culture.
Currently the only definably Māori aspects of the internet
are a small assortment of websites, a few pieces of application
software and the <.maori.nz> second level domain name. Along
with an ever growing number of commercial products that have commodified
Māori culture and expression.
2. New Zealand Māori Internet Society will participate and
seek relationships with many national and International IT bodies
and actively participate in:
(a) government submission processes on legislation
(b) Represent Māori on government consultation processes
(c) International discussions and forums that can/do impact Māori.
(d) National submissions, surveys that concern the .nz Internet
space
New Zealand Māori Internet Society will work directly with
Māori Internet community including individuals, Iwi and Hapu
and will support any non Māori organisation that wishes to advanceMāori
in Information Technology.
3/ to promote internet service creators vs/over services users
and participants.
We recognise that the majority of Māori are participators only
in the internet.
In order for the internet and World Wide Web to become more supportive
of Māori culture and identity, then there is a dire need for
Māori internet developers who can become authors and creators
of web functions and web structures more conducive to our modus
operandi.
This means moving on from just web design and email list management
to web programming, application development, communications enhancements
to better suit Māori styles and values of communications.
Also advanced online community building systems that promote Māori
culture and discourses. |