NZ Library Reorganizes Māori Literature Using a Culturally Relevant System

Te Awe Library in Wellington, New Zealand, is piloting a new approach to organizing its Māori literature collection. Instead of the Dewey Decimal System, they're using Te Ao Māori, a classification system rooted in Māori cosmology. Books are grouped according to Māori gods (atua) and their associated domains of knowledge. For example, books on carving and oceanography are under Tangaroa, the god of the sea, while agriculture and cuisine fall under Rongomatāne. This culturally sensitive system preserves the inherent connections within Māori knowledge (Mātauranga) and offers a unique learning opportunity for all patrons. The project, currently in trial, aims for wider adoption across Wellington.