Project Context / Objective:
The Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (New Zealand Government) engaged Takin.Solutions to develop semantic data models for intangible heritage — Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho in the Māori context — within their existing Arches Heritage Environment Record (HER) system. The project addresses a critical gap: the HER contained no data structures capable of documenting intangible heritage entities or connecting them to existing heritage records.
The goal is to develop CIDOC-CRM compliant models that would enable the documentation and interrelation of intangible heritage alongside tangible heritage data, while respecting Māori data sovereignty principles and aligning with international indigenous data governance frameworks. Implementation of the models in Arches is carried out by project partner Flax & Teal.
Takin.Solutions’ Role / Contributions:
Takin.Solutions is leading the semantic modelling work as specialist consultant, responsible for requirements analysis, stakeholder engagement, model design, and documentation for handover to the implementation partner.
Key Activities:
- Analysed existing HER data structures and source documentation for intangible heritage requirements.
- Conducted stakeholder consultation with DoC data managers and iwi/hapū representatives to gather requirements and clarify data governance considerations.
- Performed gap analysis against existing HER models to identify areas requiring new or modified data structures.
- Developed CIDOC-CRM compliant data models for intangible heritage entities, aligned with existing HER modelling patterns.
- Produced formal model documentation and implementation specifications for handover to Flax & Teal.
- Ensured alignment of all models with applicable indigenous data governance standards.
Deliverables / Outputs:
- Requirements Analysis Report.
- Preliminary Analysis Document including entity types, relationships, and gap analysis.
- Consultation Summary Report documenting stakeholder feedback and data governance requirements.
- Draft and final Model Proposal Packages with CIDOC-CRM mapping documentation and model diagrams.
- Final Model Documentation Package and Implementation Specification Document for Flax & Teal.
Outcome / Impact:
The project extends the Department of Conservation’s Arches HER to encompass intangible heritage for the first time, creating a standards-aligned semantic foundation that respects Māori cultural protocols and data sovereignty. By grounding the models in both CIDOC-CRM and indigenous governance frameworks, the work ensures that Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho can be documented, interrelated, and managed within a sustainable digital infrastructure — with the methodological rigour and cultural sensitivity that this knowledge demands.
