Techno tino rangatiratanga

Promoting indigenous autonomy in the digital age

Garry Watson

General overview

Over the past few years much has been made of indigenous developments and the so-called "Maori Renaissance" both nationally as well as within the international arena.

At the conclusion of Article II Treaty Settlement processes an increasing number of Iwi are finding themselves in a position where they are able to financially invest in the future security of their people. To a large degree this Renaissance has occurred within main centres, with much of the commercial activity being generated in an urban environment.

For isolated Maori communities the impact at the end of this process has been less than spectacular. If we were to focus on the better examples of economic development initiated by Iwi in recent times we could assume that current disparity gaps between Maori and non Maori have a better than even chance of closing over the next few years.

Unfortunately when evaluations are conducted in isolated communities the reverse is evident. At the dawn of a new millennium and the dawn of the "digital age," Information Technology offers an opportunity to remedy these anomalies.

Needs analysis

The isolation of many Maori communities in remote areas such as the East Cape and the Far North of Aotearoa continues to have a negative impact within those communities enhancing disparity factors. Increased marginalisation occurs within these communities which in many cases are withdraw from mainstream development and mainstream commercial opportunities. As globalisation continues to race ahead the issue of digital divide becomes critical in these isolated communities.

To keep pace with the ever-changing commercial and political environment Iwi organisations have begun to rely heavily on indigenous networking to allow them to share information and to replicate successful development models and management systems. In some cases this is driven from a desire to establish financial autonomy within isolated communities, but more often it is driven by increasing demands for accountability within areas such as social service contracting to the Crown.

"Building Iwi capacity" and the development of "best practice models" are new age phrases which have of recent times been introduced into these communities. To meet both the commercial objectives and Government accountability measures Iwi organisations will increasingly need to upskill and up-spec their information technology.

Digital divide

As the need to foster the development of economic autonomy moves to the fore in isolated Maori communities a number of resource evaluations are conducted. One of the most significant development opportunities available to isolated Iwi, evaluated during this research, centres on the promoting the isolation itself.

Pristine environments found within these communities provide tourism development opportunities, recreational pursuits and in some cases organic farming and cropping options for needy communities. Many of these communities have a strong social and cultural fabric, which are administered by "organic" organisations.

The challenge for these organisations and communities in coming times will be balancing the need for artificial intelligence within an organic infrastructure, in a manner which does not erode the strengths, the beauty and the culture within those communities. Those organisations who are currently managing this process are however still finding themselves handicapped within the digital age.

The greatest hurdle they face in developing IT capability is a restrictive band width. Simple economics determine that isolated communities who are only now beginning to develop their technological ability do not sustain sufficient digital traffic to warrant upgrades of bandwidth and IT infrastructure.

The entry of Telstra into the New Zealand environment highlights this factor. Their focus is increasing the bandwidth down the main trunk line from Auckland to Christchurch, with little to no investment into the peripheral sub-lines. The impact this has on isolated communities leaves them faced with digital divide problems which increase marginalisation, increase isolation, and increase negative responses to the use of information technology - promoting comments such as "who needs it," (if you can’t have it).

The net future impact for these communities is likely to see an increase in disparity factors and the development of a "subculture" which shuns information technology.

Potential solutions

Stage I of any remedial action that would need to be taken to mitigate digital divide within isolated communities is first and foremost the identification of the problem and the impact it is likely to have in those regions.

Research will be needed to identify the scale of impact and the knock-on effects this is likely to have over the next 5 to 10 years.

In resolving this issue established networks within indigenous communities provide opportunities to bring this issue to the fore. These networks also allow Iwi to collectively lobby for recognition of the problem and for the resources needed to resolve the problem.

Training and development programmes and some of the innovative solutions being evaluated by isolated communities would be valuable if they were to be replicated in other areas and once again indigenous networks provide these opportunities. As the race towards digital superiority continues at pace those in the driving seat of change must revisit the social implications associated with the speed of change.

If left unchecked, future disparities between Maori and non-Maori may not be driven by access to development capital, employment and wealth - it may indeed be fuelled by digital divide.

Development opportunities

Isolated Maori communities are at present actively involved in the development and promotion of resource based economic development opportunities for their people. Through the application of targeted resources, training, and support from the Government and the IT industry within those communities, substantial opportunities can be generated.

By way of example:

• improvements in the delivery of training, education, health, and general social services can be fostered, via a digital interface between Iwi organisations and Government agencies.
• Additionally; the direct marketing of tourism opportunities located within these isolated environments can be digitally enhanced and promoted. Local tourist websites would provide direct booking opportunities from within the global market.
• Local products can be branded, promoted, and marketed - utilising the same means.
• Cultural exchanges can be developed, broadening the educational horizon for isolated communities.
• Training and educational opportunities, both nationally as well as internationally, can be digitally provided and improved response times and efficiencies which utilise modern technology can provide greatly needed promotional and development opportunities in these communities.

Very little of this much needed development is currently eventuating in isolated communities at present.

Critical issues

To offset the potentially negative impacts of digital divide within these communities a development model is needed. The Department of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce are key agencies which can supply technical and financial assistance in developing this model.

To promote the model regional training programmes will need to be established targeting Iwi in isolated communities.

Technology equipment will be required within those communities for training as well as ongoing development and a technology exchange programme needs to be established (utilising old equipment which is traded for new) to ensure low level entry costs are achieved for isolated organisations.

To drive the programmes and to promote their benefits Resource Centres will need to be established within these communities. Such facilities could be cost effectively developed through linking them with existing administration units found within these communities. In most cases an isolated community will have an Iwi organisation within its midst who has some form of administration capability.

To promote the development programme and to train participants the appointment of a "key worker" would be needed within each region. This person would provide support services for training, promotions, marketing, and project management - utilising the available technology resources.

The programme should also be linked to established after school and second chance education programmes targeting youth within the region.

Through the development of a greater capability in the utilisation of information technology within these communities "Tele-cottage Industries" can be generated. The viability of such industries has been well proven of recent times in Ireland where trained workers within the isolated communities "self employ," using technology at resource centres and within individual homes, processing data from across the international dateline.

The development of these industries and the digital traffic they generate can change the economic dynamics of supply and demand in isolated communities allowing for investment in the tele-communications infrastructure into these communities.

For isolated Iwi the opportunity this provides in maintaining and fostering self determination or Tino Rangatiratanga is invaluable. "Techno Tino Rangatiratanga" or the promotion of indigenous autonomy via digital means, provides Iwi with a fighting chance to enter the global market on their own terms. As the global race towards the digital age continues the value of organic cultures within Aotearoa will increase in worth - across all value measurements. Any investment in the immediate future which mitigates negative aspects of digital divide, while promoting cultural integrity, will reap substantial social and economic benefits in the future.

Those of us who are involved in information technology industries today must reflect on the social implications of these developments, to ensure that we have equality within our communities in the tomorrow.