Learning

L&D titles in te reo Māori

I've been looking into job titles the last month, trying to find the Māori names for roles in the L&D industry. I've found some really great lists, although there are some contradictions (graphic designer, project manager, learning designer).

Maire Smith

27 Oct 2021 • 5 min read

I've been looking into job titles the last month, trying to find the Māori names for roles in the L&D industry. I've found some really great lists, although there are some contradictions (for example, the terms for graphic designer, project manager, learning designer).

What are the considerations?

Translations or terms in common use?

It doesn't matter so much to me whether a job title exactly reflects the work the person does - it's more about what the common name for the role is. For example, 'business analyst' in English could mean any of a number of things, but we have a general consensus that we use the term to mean people who analyse and document the market environment, processes, or systems of businesses.

So looking for Māori job titles for me has been less about translating the English words and more about finding what people are using.

That said, I've heard 'kaiwhakahaere kaupapa' for 'project manager' for over a decade, but I'm now seeing that Te Taura Whiri are calling this role 'pou whakahaere waitara'. I'm not quite sure what to do about that. Probably go with TTW as the authority?

I've seen both 'kaiwhakatauira whakanikoniko' and 'kaihoahoa whakairoiro' for 'graphic designer'. 'Kaihoahoa' is used for other design roles, like clothing designer. But 'whakairoiro' seems to relate specifically to carving, so might 'kaihoahoa whakanikoniko' work? This is out of my depth, so I've included notes.

Cultural appropriation or kia kaha te reo?

I'm pākehā and not fluent in te reo Māori - I can understand more than I can speak, and I'm very much a beginner. As I looked for information, I found myself really wondering whether what I was trying to do was OK.

Is it cultural appropriation, or cultural dilution, to look for equivalent terms in Māori for roles that didn't primarily arise within te ao Māori?

But then how do we talk about our jobs if we are speaking Māori if we don't have the words?

My job is hard to discuss in English with most first-language English speakers, because they haven't heard of learning designers. So does it matter if the word in Māori isn't familiar to Māori speakers? Or should I stick to a description?

I started looking because I believe that one of the factors that can influence the survival and spread of a language is whether it is seen. Initiatives like the Welsh and Quebecois dual-language signage can be really influential in helping languages that are at risk to be more widely used. It is a way of signalling that the language is relevant and a way to welcome the use of the language.

However, I am also concerned that te reo Māori is a taonga, and not my taonga. Andrew Robb wrote a really good introduction to some of this issue here.

This isn't something I have a full answer for.

I hope the pulling together of information I've done here is helpful. Please do let me know if you see anything you think I should change.

Papakupu

I'm noting for each role here where I got my information, so you can make your own judgements about what is correct. Some roles I still have to find - I have no entries here for L&D Manager or OD roles. Do please feel free to suggest changes or additions in the comments!

Learning design roles

Learning designer - kaihoahoa akoranga (reo teacher + FENZ)*
Learning design lead - kaiārahi hoahoa ako (reo teacher)
Learning design consultant - mātanga hoahoa ako (kaiārahi hoahoa ako combined with mātanga - consultant - from MD and other sources. Do not use unless checked with a fluent speaker. )
Senior learning designer - kaihoahoa akoranga matua (kaihoahoa akoranga + modelled on other senior role titles + reo teacher)

* Learning designer has another option (kaihoahoa ako - University of Auckland). The reo teacher I consulted said that both might be OK, but that akoranga sounded better in the context.)

Development and delivery

Education learning developer - kaiwhakawhanake akoranga mātauranga (FENZ)
Media producer - kaihautū pāpāho (ML)
Director - kaitohu (MD)
Actor - kiriwhakaari (MD)
Voice actor - [TBC - maybe just use kiriwhakaari kōrero for now? - get this checked by a fluent speaker before using]
Graphic designer - kaiwhakatauira whakanikoniko (MD + ML + FENZ)*
Illustrator - kaiwhakanikoniko (MD gives this as 'graphic artist')
Animator - kaiwhakahauora (Careers)
Photographer - kaitango whakaahua (Careers + VUW)
Web designer - kaihoahoa ipurangi (ML)
Technical writer - kaitito hangarau (Careers)
Editor - kaiwhakatika (MD)
Teacher - kaiako (this is from my general vocabulary)
Trainer/facilitator - kaiwhakaako (Careers + MD)

* Graphic designer has another option (kaihoahoa whakairoiro - University of Auckland). I went with the majority and with the kupu that doesn't seem to relate specifically to carving.)

Technology roles

Learning platform lead - kaiārahi ratonga kaupapa ako (I based this on the model of learning design lead, which has been checked, and on ratonga rangapū from MD, which is 'corporate services' so I could be sure ratonga was the correct word. Do not use without getting a fluent speaker to confirm.)
Learning management system administrator - kaiwhakahaere pūnaha ako (MD, from separate entries for each word; for systems administrator, Careers has kaiwhakahaere pūnaha, University of Auckland has kaitātari pūnaha and FENZ has kaiwhakarite pūnaha)*
User experience designer - kaihoahoa wheako whakamahi (Careers)
Software developer - kaihanga pūmanawa rorohiko (Careers + University of Auckland)
IT Helpdesk - kaihangarau āwhina hangarau pārongo (Careers)

Project roles

Programme manager - kaiwhakahaere hōtaka (combination of project manager + hōtaka - programme - from MD. Do not use without checking with a fluent speaker.)
Project manager - kaiwhakahaere kaupapa (Careers + project or programme manager in maorilanguage.net) - but TTW say pou whakahaere waitara
Project coordinator - kairuruku kaupapa (FENZ) or kairuruku pūtere (University of Auckland)
Project owner - kaiwhiwhi kaupapa? (MD has kaiwhiwhi for owner - get this checked by a fluent speaker before using it)
Project lead - kaiārahi kaupapa (based on learning design lead - get this checked by a fluent speaker before using it)
Stakeholder - hunga whaipānga (MD)
Business analyst - kaitātari pakihi (Careers)

Advisor, manager, and consultancy roles

Learning advisor - kaitohu ako (TPK for kaitohu + ako for learning - get this checked by a fluent speaker before using it)
Senior learning advisor - kaitohu ako matua (MD for kaitohu and matua + ako for learning - get this checked by a fluent speaker before using it)
Consultant - mātanga hāpai (MD)
Evaluation advisor - kaitohu arotake (TPK for kaitohu + MD for arotake - get this checked by a fluent speaker before using)

Leadership roles

Managing director - kaihautū whakahaere (Careers)
General manager - pou whakahaere (TTW)
Principal advisor - aporei (TPK +MD - get this checked by a fluent speaker before using it)

References

Where my reference is 'reo teacher', I discussed the job title with a fluent speaker with an MA in Māori language, who teaches te reo Māori professionally, because I had been unable to locate any existing references. It's a small industry!

FENZ: https://portal.fireandemergency.nz/national-teams/kaupapa-maori/job-titles-in-te-reo-maori/
MD: https://maoridictionary.co.nz/
University of Auckland: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/on-campus/life-on-campus/maori-life-on-campus/revitalising-te-reo-maori/kuputaka/university-roles-and-job-titles/professional-roles.html
ML: https://www.maorilanguage.net/maori-words-phrases/jobs-nga-mahi/
Careers: https://www.careers.govt.nz/searchresults?tab=jobs&industry%5B%5D=arts-and-media_creative-design%2Cbusiness_management-and-consulting
VUW: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/maori-hub/ako/te-reo-at-university/university-roles-in-te-reo-maori
TTW: https://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/en/online-resources/rauemi/te-reo-o-te-tari/
TPK: https://careers.tpk.govt.nz/search?search=kw-principal

Originally published on my LinkedIn page on 27 October 2021.