The use of digital technology in the preservation of Māori song

Abstract

This paper will focus on the importance of digitally archiving waiata and haka (Māori song, chant and dance). Māori arrived in Aotearoa from their traditional homeland in the Pacific carrying with them all of the knowledge of their own ancestors, none of which was written down. This Māori oral tradition has taken on many forms, including waiata and haka. Waiata and haka are traditional mediums for the transmission of knowledge including tribal history, politics, historical landmarks, genealogy and environmental knowledge while also acting as traditional forms of expression for the articulation of anger, hatred, sadness, love and desire.

Waiata and haka are examples of Māori poetry and literature and have been likened to the archives of the Māori people, preserving important historical and cultural knowledge. Therefore, waiata and haka offer an alternative view of the history of Aotearoa/New Zealand to those that are based on mainstream Eurocentric history books and archives. Waiata and haka are also important for the survival of the Māori language and culture. In this sense, they are bound to Māori identity.

As a result of colonisation many of these compositions are being lost through time and with them, a knowledge base regarding the meaning behind the words. The adoption of digital technology to preserve waiata and haka provides a tool that could aid the oral tradition. Tāmata Toiere, a digital repository of waiata and haka, is a national resource which demonstrates the interface between recovering traditional knowledge and storing this through innovative technology for future generations.