Effecting Good Relations Between Maori and Pakeha Librarians

Abstract

The different cultures of Maori and Pakeha in New Zealand make their presence felt in the profession of librarianship. Two traditions in the keeping of knowledge exist, although these are neither practised side-by-side in libraries nor assimilated to a unified practice. The Pakeha tradition has dominated in the keeping of knowledge; the Maori tradition has been maintained separately, at a distance and within the context of the tribe rather than the wider society in which librarianship operates. An attempt to close the distance between the two traditions has been made in the last decade. Maori people have asserted their right to a share in the national keeping of knowledge, and Pakeha librarians have begun to question how their role relates to the Maori tradition. Several strategies have been tried to bridge the gap: improved collection of and access to Maori materials, recruitment and training of Maori staff, and education of Pakeha about Maoriness. No attempt has been made by the library profession, however, to investigate differences between the two traditions, what implications they have for library practice, and how resolution of differences might be addressed so that Maori and Pakeha librarians are able to work together effectively. Such is the purpose of this thesis, which proposes that the principles of democracy, as they are made explicit through a model of human interactive behaviour, must prevail between Maori and Pakeha librarians if they are to work in harmony.