These are some technical and cultural terms that might be helpful to know. Some of these large concepts can’t be simplified to one simple definition, but we’ve explained them as they are relevant to our kaupapa.

Taonga / Taonga Tūturu

Taonga are precious items, and taonga tūturu specifies that they are objects or artefacts rather than living creatures. Taonga tūturu are protected objects that whakapapa to Te Ao Māori and embody mana, tapu, and mauri.

Blockchain

The blockchain is a shared database provides immediate, shared and completely transparent information stored on an immutable ledger. Blockchain is often talked about in regards to cryptocurrency, but we believe that when you take currency out of blockchain your reveal it’s creative and transformative potential.

Iwi / Hapū

Iwi is often translated as "tribe", or "a confederation of tribes". Hapū is a sub-tribe - consisting of a number of whānau sharing descent from a common ancestor. A number of related hapū usually shared adjacent territories forming a looser tribal federation (iwi).

Whakapapa

Everything that has come before you and led to the person you are today, from genetic lineages to the choices you and your ancestors have made. In the context of Digitaonga when we refer to the whakapapa of taonga, we are talking about the peoples and places from which they originate and the journey that they took to end up where they are today.

Kaupapa Māori Research

Kaupapa Maori research is done by Māori, with Māori and for Māori. It is informed by tikanga Māori and Māori ways of doing things. Researchers and innovators working with Māori must build strong and healthy relationships built on mutual trust, respect, reciprocity and whanaungatanga. See more details here

Kaitiaki

A kaitiaki is a person, group or being that acts as a carer, guardian, protector and conserver. In the context of Digitonaga we often refer to the caretakers of toanga as kaitiaki, including Iwi and Hapū and museums.

NFT

An NFT or digital taonga as we call them, is a unique digital asset that is stored securely on the blockchain. It is like a digital certificate of authenticity, with provenance and information records that can be encoded.