Transcript
In the age of big data, Pacific peoples' interests are not always at the heart of entities who dominate digital data collection and surveillance.
A data sovereignty expert Keoni Mahelona, who works in a Maori technology space north of Auckland, says the use of data comes with a big responsibility.
Mr Mahelona, who is of Hawaiian descent, says people need to be more mindful as to who benefits from the data that indigenous people provide.
"And when we need tools to help us to do our mahi (work) often those tools are designed and sold by non-indigenous groups. So the ways they think about design and things are much different. And so as indigenous people we have different values and it is important those values are reflected in the tools we use. For example how might we treat content associated with people who have passed away?"
Samoan tech entreprenuer Sulu Fiti's currently works at Te Papa in Wellington and says that Pacific stories are gold, especially in the tech space.
"One of our big sort of selling points is that we've got a huge opportunity to talk about our stories and we have got a unique culture and no one else can tell our stories, only we can tell our stories."
Cook Islander Brittany Teei [pron Teh-ay] says there are major opportunities in technology but there is not enough Pacific representation.
Ms Teei is the CEO of Kidscoin, which is a fun and practical software developed to help kids learn about money.
"It is crucial that we bring it with us and in terms of preserving our languages and our traditions,I think time is of the essence for our older generation who are getting older and moving on. And I think that the biggest opportunity at the moment, is to being able to capture all that knowledge before it is lost. From there the technology world is our oyster to being able to express ourselves in new and modern ways that still allow us to be Pacific."
Microsoft Accessories manager Jono Cochran is of Maori descent. He says he fell into tech by accident, as he was never good at school.
He says if he can follow a tech career path, anyone can.
"They are the ones who run towards these kind of devices and this kind of technology and pick it up a lot quicker than us at our age and a lot of jobs they will do when they grow up don't exist yet. The more they can learn about digital transformation and technology and the future, the better for all of us."
Winona Ngaro Malifa is working on tech hubs for Pacific and Maori girls and has taken the concept of Barbie and changed it all to wahine.
"The whole concept of it is for young girls to walk in and see themselves on the shelves and also to give adults the understanding of how are we investing in our Pacific girls? What are we buying them and how are we investing their time? So I'm trying to create the idea of a discussion around why don't we invest in tech and equip them with skills that will help them in the new industrial era."
300 people registered for the summit held at Auckland's Shed 10, held during the school holidays.
This is Sara Vui-Talitu.
