22 Jul 2015

Growing importance of video conferencing

7:29 am on 22 July 2015

The Māori Broadband Working Group says it is very important for marae, kura, and iwi organisations to consider using video conferencing, especially for tribal members who can't always attend hui.

young farmer with laptop

Photo: 123RF

The technology is becoming more widely used, with the most recent example being at the tangihanga or funeral of Ngāti Hine elder Erima Henare.

Ngā Pū Wāea board member Hinurewa Te Hau said video streaming was helping to connect people over long distances.

"When we consider the cost of travel, video conferencing may be a way for many of our communities to get greater reach where a lot of whānau are living," she said.

"And it's about developing good relationships or sustaining relationships over longer distances, maintaining contact with distant whānau.

"With video conferencing, distance ceases to become a barrier, with the ability to participate in tangihanga, for example.

"And the other thing too is around culture using various devices to stream wānanga on to mobile phones."

Ms Te Hau said there still needed to be tikanga, or protocols, developed around the appropriate use of video conferencing at events such as tangihanga, but as far as sharing knowledge was concerned, the sky was the limit.

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