title: Engaging in research with Pacific communities as a non-Pacific researcher: reflecting on lessons learnt

authors: Flavell, Margaret

abstract: A key challenge for the cross-cultural researcher is how to maintain authenticity in the stories of participants, paying careful attention to any inherent power imbalances. In this article, we share our respective experiences of conducting research with Pacific students and their families in Aotearoa New Zealand as non-Pacific researchers. We discuss tensions we encountered regarding power and positionality, highlighting the importance of engaging with Pacific perspectives and methodologies to help counter these tensions. In our respective studies, we aimed to promote the voices of our participants and conduct research which prioritised Pacific values. We further appreciated that we must not let our own research agenda override the needs of our participants. We explain why we believe these ideas to be so important and draw tentative conclusions on ways to engage in research with Pacific families based on what we have learnt. The data presented from our respective studies highlight our approaches and present some of the challenges, as well as our efforts to engage in reciprocal, respectful relationships with our participants and their families. We hope that, in sharing our reflections, we may offer some useful insight to other researchers embarking on a similar journey to us.

text: Engaging in research with Pacific communities as a non-Pacific researcher: reflecting on lessons learnt A key challenge for the cross-cultural researcher is how to maintain authenticity in the stories of participants, paying careful attention to any inherent power imbalances. In this article, we share our respective experiences of conducting research with Pacific students and their families in Aotearoa New Zealand as non-Pacific researchers. We discuss tensions we encountered regarding power and positionality, highlighting the importance of engaging with Pacific perspectives and methodologies to help counter these tensions. In our respective studies, we aimed to promote the voices of our participants and conduct research which prioritised Pacific values. We further appreciated that we must not let our own research agenda override the needs of our participants. We explain why we believe these ideas to be so important and draw tentative conclusions on ways to engage in research with Pacific families based on what we have learnt. The data presented from our respective studies highlight our approaches and present some of the challenges, as well as our efforts to engage in reciprocal, respectful relationships with our participants and their families. We hope that, in sharing our reflections, we may offer some useful insight to other researchers embarking on a similar journey to us.

year: 2022

title: Using object biography metadata to create artefact interactions outside memory institutions

authors: Zhao, Can

subjects: Object biography

abstract: Artefacts are primarily experienced inside museums, and those with insufficient display and interpretation can be isolated and ignored. Mobile devices potentially allow the artefact interaction touchpoints to be moved into the wider environment beyond the physical boundaries of memory institutions. To achieve these interactions, one approach is to modify metadata from a typical descriptive catalogue entry to be object biography-centric. This thesis explores this opportunity and presents the creation of novel artefact-centric interactions outside museums embodied by a proof-of-concept mobile application prototype. 
We performed four studies to acquire object biography metadata, design and evaluate the interactions with biography-enhanced artefacts. Study one explored the potential contributions that the biographical approach can make in documenting artefacts. Study two acquired object biography metadata in a selection of places and conceptualised the metadata fields. Study three extracted five sets of sample metadata from the collection of a local museum. The final study was the design and user evaluation of the prototype, which indicated that the implementation supported the novelty and effectiveness of object biography-centric interactions. 
The current descriptive metadata of objects are not generally reusable for context-aware applications. Interactions designed on top of object biography metadata in the environment are a potential new approach for museum informatics and biographical intersections are a promising concept to focus user engagement.

text: Using object biography metadata to create artefact interactions outside memory institutions Artefacts are primarily experienced inside museums, and those with insufficient display and interpretation can be isolated and ignored. Mobile devices potentially allow the artefact interaction touchpoints to be moved into the wider environment beyond the physical boundaries of memory institutions. To achieve these interactions, one approach is to modify metadata from a typical descriptive catalogue entry to be object biography-centric. This thesis explores this opportunity and presents the creation of novel artefact-centric interactions outside museums embodied by a proof-of-concept mobile application prototype. 
We performed four studies to acquire object biography metadata, design and evaluate the interactions with biography-enhanced artefacts. Study one explored the potential contributions that the biographical approach can make in documenting artefacts. Study two acquired object biography metadata in a selection of places and conceptualised the metadata fields. Study three extracted five sets of sample metadata from the collection of a local museum. The final study was the design and user evaluation of the prototype, which indicated that the implementation supported the novelty and effectiveness of object biography-centric interactions. 
The current descriptive metadata of objects are not generally reusable for context-aware applications. Interactions designed on top of object biography metadata in the environment are a potential new approach for museum informatics and biographical intersections are a promising concept to focus user engagement.

year: 2021

title: The discovery of gold at Te Aroha and its consequences: January to October 1880

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: By mid-1880, when there were expectations that gold would be found at Te Aroha, at last Ngati Rahiri permitted prospecting. A government-subsidized prospecting party under Hone Werahiko set out in early August and announced an apparently valuable find one month later. As the discovery was on Ngati Rahiri land, a goldfield could not be declared open immediately, but despite this increasing numbers of prospectors arrived. Newspapers were cautious, not wanting to encourage a rush based on nothing but rumours, some of them extravagant, notably one of finding ore that would produce 200oz to the ton. 
Despite being doubtful about the prospects, officials prepared to proclaim a new goldfield. In late October, good specimens were shown in Thames, encouraging more to leave both there and the Waikato to explore. After the warden inspected the ground where Werahiko had found gold, which was off limits to everyone except the original prospectors, he arranged to have the only test made before the field was opened. Although this gave an uncertain indication of whether the ore was payable, and little real work was being done outside the prospectors’ claim, regulations were devised permitting the proclamation of the new field.

text: The discovery of gold at Te Aroha and its consequences: January to October 1880 By mid-1880, when there were expectations that gold would be found at Te Aroha, at last Ngati Rahiri permitted prospecting. A government-subsidized prospecting party under Hone Werahiko set out in early August and announced an apparently valuable find one month later. As the discovery was on Ngati Rahiri land, a goldfield could not be declared open immediately, but despite this increasing numbers of prospectors arrived. Newspapers were cautious, not wanting to encourage a rush based on nothing but rumours, some of them extravagant, notably one of finding ore that would produce 200oz to the ton. 
Despite being doubtful about the prospects, officials prepared to proclaim a new goldfield. In late October, good specimens were shown in Thames, encouraging more to leave both there and the Waikato to explore. After the warden inspected the ground where Werahiko had found gold, which was off limits to everyone except the original prospectors, he arranged to have the only test made before the field was opened. Although this gave an uncertain indication of whether the ore was payable, and little real work was being done outside the prospectors’ claim, regulations were devised permitting the proclamation of the new field.

year: 2016