The International Indigenous Librarians' Forum: A Professional Life-Affirming Event

Abstract

For two years, from 1997-1999, members of Te Ropu Whakahau ("they, who encourage and incite"), the Maori Library and Information Workers' Association, were engaged in intensive planning for the first International Indigenous Librarians' Forum. Maori representatives met with representatives of the American Indian Library Association (AILA) twice, in 1997 and 1998, at AILA business meetings held in conjunction with the American Library Association (ALA) annual conferences. These meetings lead to an agreement to support the first international collaboration between information professionals of indigenous heritage. The resulting event was held in Auckland, New Zealand/Aotearoa, 1-4 November 1999, to, in part, commemorate the United Nations International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, 1995-2005. The Forum vision, "affirming the knowledge and values of indigenous peoples in the age of information" (Toi te kupu, toi te mana, toi te whenua), was reflected in the program and formed the basis of the facilitated discussion among the nearly 120 delegates. Conveners defined indigenous peoples as "those who have become minority peoples in their places of cultural origin." Among the delegates were approximately 105 Maori representatives, nine members of AILA, and ten international delegates from such locations as Australia, Canada, and Sweden. This paper will describe the Forum and its content, present its outcomes, and describe how local and national efforts in New Zealand are models for how to advance library services to indigenous populations.