IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - March 2022 - 33

In earlier times, temporary venues or urban
maraes were constructed to accommodate Ma¯ori
cultural practices away from their tribal marae [5].
Today, social networking sites, such as Facebook,
are commonly used to maintain their connection to
their tribal home [7]. Many have marae homepages
where they upload events and news for the tribal
community. In the North Island, the community
from Te Pahou Marae have uploaded multiple 360°
screenshots to Google Earth, so you can virtually visit
the place from entrance to the inside of the central
meeting house [2]. The Whispering Tales research
project tries to use location-based AR to overlay
meaningful Ma¯ori sites with imagery and video/
audio of narratives that users can access with their
mobile devices [3]. Similarly, Ma¯ui Studios are also
using AR to enrich Ma¯ori graphic novel stories to promote
Te reo (the language) Ma¯ori [4]. The Ma¯taatua
virtual reality (VR) project recorded a kaumatua
(elder) speaker, using a large multiple-camera dome
recording system, 3-D reconstructed the wharenui
using 3-D laser scanners, and played the ko¯rero back
in VR, so families can listen up close [15].
This desire to interact and connect manifests in a
number of different ways, for example, seeking avenues
to hear, learn, and speak te reo Ma¯ori (Ma¯ori
language), learning, practicing, and experiencing
tikanga (customs and protocols), and accessing
ma¯tauranga (knowledge) and tribal histories.
For the purpose of the research presented here,
three central questions emerged from the discussions
with members of Te Rau Aroha Marae and our
Ma¯ori academic colleagues about the nature and
characteristics of this relationship and how it could
be addressed technologically. As a result, we are
developing, evaluating, and disseminating prototypical
solutions which combine these three technological
target questions.
* How can a sense of place and space be
re-established?
* How can an oral, direct communication be
supported?
* How can the feeling of co-presence ( " virtually
being face-to-face " ) with others be created when
they are geographically dispersed?
Recent advances in technology developments play
an enabling role here, namely 3-D reconstruction and
visualization techniques, virtual and mixed reality,
and fast and reliable telecommunication technology.
March 2022
The project builds on a solid partnership model.
Strong levels of trust and relationships must be
built between Ma¯ori researchers and practitioners
together with Pa¯keha¯ (non-Ma¯ori) researchers
and technologists. The partnership works closely
together with the aim of enabling the continuation
of traditional Ma¯ori storytelling, presence in the
appropriate environmental context, and tele-copresence
for Ma¯ori over national and international
network connections. Such a partnership model
requires the iterative, participatory development of
tangible artifacts (e.g., concrete software prototypes
in contrast to just written communication), frequent
communication about world views and protocols,
and a continuous development of capabilities for
Ma¯ori researchers and practitioners. The latter also
means that, in the context of " by Ma¯ori for Ma¯ori, "
the Pa¯keha¯ within the partnership aim for their own
redundancy during the project in a way that eventually,
the Ma¯ori partners are in a position to continue
on their own.
To initiate and maintain a constructive and trustful
relationship between all A¯tea project partners, we
follow the guiding model of partnership, participation,
and protection. The foundations for this model
have been laid by the Treaty of Waitangi Act (1975)
addressing how to work together in decision making,
enabling inclusiveness for Ma¯ori (and Pa¯keha¯)
in all levels and aspects of society, and actively protecting
Maori rights as citizens, including language,
knowledge, values, and other taonga. The main
challenge though is to implement such a model. In
collaboration with and being guided by our Ma¯ori
academic collaborators (one of which is closely
associated with our iwi partners), we went through
a long process to establish the relationship with our
iwi partners with several marae visits, undertaking
personal development and giving our Ma¯ori partners
authority to place bounds on our technological
activities. This process was not only necessary to fulfill
the above goals, but was also very gratifying.
We believe that aspects of our work can be of
value for readers who try to find solutions to work
together as groups with strong cultural diversity. The
value of our project for them could either come from
the partnership process (whakawhanaungatanga,
process of establishing relationships, see above)
itself or from the actual technologies and procedures
we have developed as part of the A¯ tea Presence
project, for example, when oral and embodied
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IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - March 2022

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