Information Scotland

The Journal of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland

June 2007 Volume 5(3)

Careers

A change of viewpoint

Two years ago Bill Macnaught made the move from Britain to New Zealand to an exciting new role safeguarding an important part of Maori culture and identity.

I first heard about the job vacancy of Manager at Puke Ariki in January 2005. Six months later my wife and I had become permanent residents in New Plymouth. I exchanged a one-hour commute in England for a five minute walk along the seaside promenade. The view from my office is a real contrast from Gateshead. We have palm trees outside the library and the sunshine bounces off the blue Tasman Sea. Some days I am distracted by the surfers – we have some of the best surf breaks in New Zealand. Coffee breaks and business meetings are enjoyed in our fabulous restaurant looking out to sea.

The temperature as I write is nudging 20 degrees. In the summer it is usually in the high 20s, although on my first Burns Night here I was sweltering in over 30 degrees.

I wore the kilt for my official welcome – or powhiri as they call it in NZ. The Maori welcome involved the host side (about 100 people from New Plymouth District Council and its partners) formally calling out in the Maori language to invite the newcomers to enter Puke Ariki (or ‘Hill of Chiefs’). We did the traditional ‘hongi’ – pressing noses. There was an exchange of words and a song in Maori. I spoke about the excitement of moving to NZ and the honour of being trusted to look after Puke Ariki. I said that the better understanding of, and respect for, other cultures is one of the great challenges of our times. And then my side sang ‘Flower of Scotland’, which had some of the home team in tears. (Fighting and dying for your wee bit hill and glen has a resonance in Taranaki.)

Historically, the Puke Ariki site was of great importance to Maori. Before Europeans arrived it was a fortified Maori settlement and also a sacred site because the bones of many chiefs are said to have been interred there. When the British settlers founded the small city of New Plymouth in the nineteenth century they removed the hill and used the soil as the foundation material for industrial building.

In 2003 Puke Ariki opened to the public as an integrated museum, public library and visitor information centre. The strong branding around the name Puke Ariki acknowledges the importance of the historical site. Funded primarily by the local council it has significant partner support from businesses and other stakeholders. The biggest achievement was uniting the eight iwi (Maori tribes) of the Taranaki region. It is difficult for English people to appreciate the continuing significance of their genealogical descent for many Maori. Scots can relate it to elements of the clan system but for most Scots clan membership does not affect your daily life.

Iwi relations are a vital aspect of civic, economic and social life in NZ. At Puke Ariki we have an advisory group of the elders of the iwi from across Taranaki who act as guardians of the treasures of the Maori collection.

The objects in the Maori collection at Puke Ariki only came together with the creation of the new building in 2003. Until then many were held by the iwi in scattered locations and they were not on display to the public. It was not seen as appropriate by iwi to entrust the Museum of Taranaki with the task of safeguarding these objects, partly because the museum was seen as a non-Maori institution. We are still building a sense of trust between iwi representatives and the management of Puke Ariki.

Many non-Maori visitors probably underestimate the continuing spiritual importance of these objects. They are central to the telling of local history for local iwi, imbued with a cultural importance that is an integral part of the self-respect of each iwi and also the respect that they command from other iwi. When any new Maori treasure arrives on the premises at Puke Ariki – even on loan from another museum – it is formally welcomed in ancient tradition. Such is the importance today of the collections at Puke Ariki.

It is thought by some that there is no region in NZ with a richer history than Taranaki. For this reason it is a great honour for a foreigner to be entrusted with the care of these treasures.

Some of the local history in Taranaki is typical of other areas during the expansion of the British Empire in the nineteenth century. Indigenous people found their culture and way of life under threat. When they tried to resist they then found their lives under threat. That simple statement is more than historical fact; it remains the reason for an underlying tension between many Maori and other people in NZ today.

History in NZ schools widely ignored the oppression of Maori culture until the late twentieth century, so it is not surprising that many non-Maori New Zealanders do not understand why Maori continue to make an issue of matters that seem to belong to the past. But there is a growing view that NZ needs to talk about some of its difficult history before it can heal. Puke Ariki is playing its part in ways that can be extremely challenging, but we have had some very positive results so far.

Bill Macnaught is Manager, Puke Ariki, New Plymouth, New Zealand. Bill spoke at the CILIPS annual conference. The National Librarian of New Zealand is interested in joint projects with Scotland – Bill welcomes ideas e: macnaughtb@npdc.govt.nz.

Information Scotland Vol. 5(3) June 2007

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Last updated: 18-Jul-2007