November 04, 2014
Ngati Pukamata challenge marae culture
A Victoria University researcher believes information technology is becoming culturally important for Maori as they maintain contact with hapu and iwi through social media.
Pikihuia Reihana has coined the term Ngati Pukamata or Facebook tribe for what she sees as a virtual iwi of Maori spread across the globe.
For her Masters in information management thesis, she sought out whanau and whakapapa groups on Facebook.
She says whakapapa is a central component of Maori identity, and with Maori making fewer trips back to the marae for a variety of reasons, she wanted to find out whether social networks enhance or undermine the authority of traditional whakapapa.
The answer seems to be that the networks help Maori to maintain links with their heritage, while also creating an alternative to the oral tradition of Maori whakapapa that usually takes place on the marae.
There were also examples of marae using Skype and live streaming to allow whanau overseas to participate in hui.
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