9 Jul 2013

Hui hears young Maori should embrace the web

9:00 am on 9 July 2013

A conference of Maori IT leaders says young Maori need to stop perceiving the internet as a Pakeha career path.

More than 50 people attended a meeting in Wellington on Monday, as part of a three-day Net Hui.

The lack of young Maori in the IT sector was one of the main talking points, as was how to go about changing it.

Karaitiana Taiuru, of the Maori Internet Society, says there is a perception that the internet and computer technology is a Pakeha tool, and that puts Maori off.

The use of te reo Maori online was also in the spotlight, with unfavourable comparisons made to Welsh people using their native tongue online, which shows Maori lag behind in this regard.

Waikato University lecturer Te Taka Keegan says he found eight tweeters and two blogs in Maori but more than 8000 people tweeting in Welsh.