Creative NZ: Seriously Maori Strategy

SERIOUSLY MAORI STRATEGY

The Seriously Maori strategy has evolved from extensive consultation with Maori, spanning several years on issues relating to Maori arts. In the first year of the three-year Seriously Maori strategy, funding will be $1.7 million. The strategy will address three pressing issues:

 protection: the need to develop a process within the tourism and economic environment that recognises the status and value of authentic Maori artworks, and to assist in the protection of the intellectual and cultural property rights of Maori artists.

 development: the need to help iwi develop and implement arts management plans to preserve and develop their heritage arts and, in so doing, strengthen their arts infrastructures so that their control, development and delivery of Maori arts is more wide-ranging and effective.

 promotion: the need to profile Maori arts and culture nationwide to raise awareness and understanding among New Zealanders of the unique role and value of Maori arts to the nation.

There are three parts to the strategy:

1. BRANDING MAORI ARTS

With the burgeoning interest in Maori arts nationally and internationally, and in response to Maori concerns to protect their intellectual and cultural property rights, it is timely to develop a brand for Maori arts – akin to the Wool Mark – denoting authenticity and quality.

Developing a brand for Maori arts will:

 assist in the protection of the intellectual and cultural property rights of Maori artists
 protect the integrity of Maori culture
 create a premium for authentic Maori artworks
 provide direct economic benefits for the artists who are registered to use the brand through increased consumer demand for branded products
 add value to the promotion of the nation’s cultural tourism strategy.

2. IWI ARTS MANAGEMENT PLANS

Consultation with the Maori arts community has identified a need to assist iwi and Maori authorities in the area of arts planning and management.

Through these plans, iwi and Maori authorities will be assisted to:

 develop arts on marae
 take advantage of revenue-earning and business opportunities by strengthening their arts infrastructures
 deal more effectively with local and central government on resource management issues
 upskill their members in planning, management and development, thereby providing them with employment opportunities
 use their resources more strategically and effectively
 retain their chieftainship over their taonga by being self-determining and self-managing as to how and when they develop their heritage arts
 become iwi arts providers.

3. PROFILING MAORI ARTS NATIONWIDE

Maori arts and culture are unique in the world and central to New Zealand’s identity as a nation. It is timely to set up a nationwide campaign to profile Maori arts and culture so that all New Zealanders gain increased awareness, understanding and appreciation of the nation’s indigenous foundation. A nationwide media campaign profiling Maori arts will be initiated in the second year and will include some of the benefits expected from the Maori brand and iwi arts management plans.

ENDS

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