Fieldwork today or cultural theft ? (part 7)

[Peter Keegan]

I seem to have been "hit" with  many questions over the last 5 days or so
on both
aspects of Maori language and culture, and an indigenous viewpoint on
fieldwork/linguistic research on indigenous peoples. I haven't time to pick up
on all queries, however "genuine enquirers" can email me personally.

I have deliberately given information on Maori language and culture in New
Zealand because I believe our experiences here can contribute to better
understanding of preserving endangered languages in other places in the world.

Some clarification (I hope) on several issues.

(1) My use of term "indigenous" can be considered synonymous to
 "First Nations".

 (2) Maori people are not against non-Maori learning Maori language. We
 actively encourage this. (In reality very few non-Maori ever gain a high
 level of fluency). Many non-Maori people have done much to support Maori
 language revitalization, we wish there were more.

 However, If a non-Maori and Maori were applying for a teaching job in a
 Maori-medium school guess who would get the job ! (In reality we have a
 critical shortage of Maori language teachers)

(3) All Maori have full rights to the majority language English.
Practically all of us can also claim English descent. Some of us have
greater portions of English/European descent than others (Keegan is an
Irish name, one of my ancestors came out from Ireland).

(4)

>Let's test this. Peter, what could the subscribers to this list do to
>improve the lot of the Maori language?
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>Neal Oliver
>n.oliver at dialogic.com

You can all help test a database I maintain of New and Technical Maori
vocabulary on the Web
 <http://www.dia.govt.nz/dia/general/dictionary/maori>
 I need to find out gaps in the database, i.e. essential English terms (from
 a language learners viewpoint) that do not yet have suitable Maori entries.
 Any feedback on the database will be appreciated (the email address given
 on the database web pages is one of my mine!)

 We hope that  many more endangered language communities will use the Web
 as a medium for resources to assist the revitalization of their languages.

 Peter Keegan
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 =========================================================================
 Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 02:53:12 -0800
 From: "Mark P. Line" <mline at ix.netcom.com>
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 Peter Keegan wrote:
 >
 > You can all help test a database I maintain of New and Technical Maori
 > vocabulary on the Web
 >  <http://www.dia.govt.nz/dia/general/dictionary/maori>
 > I need to find out gaps in the database, i.e. essential English terms
 > (from a language learners viewpoint) that do not yet have suitable Maori
 > entries.

 I found everything I searched for except 'glue gun'. :)

 Have you tried comparing your database with WordNet to help find gaps? The
 problem then will be deciding which gaps need filling and which don't, of
 course. (You probably don't need entries for all the botanical and
 zoological nomenclature, for instance.)


 -- Mark

 (Mark P. Line   ----   Bellevue, Washington   ----   mline at ix.netcom.com)

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