Cataloging to the Indigenous Perspective

Puanani AkakaHawaiian Pacific Librarian

& Eric Leong

Technical Services Librarian

Sullivan Family Library Chaminade University

Hawai`i Library Association Conference 2009

Introduction

What is this about?

- A pilot project to determine whether (some) books could be successfully reclassified according to indigenous (in this case, Hawaiian) world view within the existing LC system

Why?

- No Hawaiian or Pacific-relevant system exists (yet)

- Same-subject materials spread through collection

- Organize collection more cohesively- DU (History of Oceania): catch-all category, relegating

Hawaiians to history (= irrelevant in Western thought)

Plan of Attack

1. Literature review

2. Research other libraries (‗scursions)

3. Decide on topic(s) for ‗pilot project‘

4. Process sample books; determine viability

5. Discuss problems and future consequences

6. Begin job hunt if/when smoke is seen rising from OPAC…

Literature Review

Lack of pertinent articles

Critical of Dewey & LC

- Treatment of Non-Western subjects- Eurocentric

- 19th century, outdated subject headings / names (Indian tribes)

- Dismissive of indigenous worldview (holistic)

- Treating American Indian and Hawaiian cultures as history

- Issues relating to individual tribes/cultures marginalized

Literature Review

Reaction to Western Classification Systems:

- Brian Deer Classification (Xwi7xwa Library)

- Maori Subject Headings

- American Indian Tribal Law

- Afro-centrism

- FRBR for Oral Tradition works

- Already established or proposed systems

- No information on working practicably within LC as a ―temporary fix‖

Process

1. Selected areas of focus Medicine & Healing practices

Anthropology

History can wait

2. Reviewed call numbers & collocated Why do we have books on medicinal plants in history, anthropology,

& botany?

3. Reviewed LCSH & added or edited Are the headings appropriate?

Can perspective be added?

4. Assign local call number Contingency to easily revert back to original classification

5. Add local note to find in the future

Example 1Nā mele hula : a collection of Hawaiian hula chants.

M1629.7 .H4 N3 1987

Music--Vocal music--Secular vocal music--Folk, national, and ethnic music--

North America--United States--Collections by region or state--By state, A-W--

Hawaii

Subject: Folk dance music--Hawaii.

Subject: Folk songs, Hawaiian--Hawaii.

Subject: Hula (Dance)

Subject: Chants.

Nā mele hula. Volume 2 : Hawaiian hula rituals and chants.

GV1796 .H8 N3 2001

Recreation. Leisure--Dance--Special dances, A-Z--Hula

Subject: Hula (Dance)

Subject: Folk songs, Hawaiian.

Subject: Folk dance music--Hawaii.

Subject: Chants, Hawaiian.

Example 2

Life in the Pacific of the 1700s : the Cook/Forster Collection of the

Georg August University of Gottingen : an exhibition held at the

Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawaii February 23-May 16, 2006,

the National Museum of Australia, Canberra, June 22-September

10, 2006

DU2.5 .H65 L54 2006

History of Oceania (South Seas)--Museums, exhibitions, etc.--Individual. By

place, A-Z—Honolulu Academy of Arts

Subject: Material culture--Islands of the Pacific--Exhibitions.

Subject: Ethnology--Islands of the Pacific--Exhibitions.

Subject: Islands of the Pacific--Social life and customs--Exhibitions.

Example 3Plants in Hawaiian medicine

DU624.65 .K73 2001 (OCLC, CIP)

History of Oceania (South Seas)--Smaller island groups--Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaii--Ethnography--Polynesian Hawaiians

Subject: Hawaiians--Medicine.

Subject: Traditional medicine--Hawaii.

Subject: Medicinal plants--Hawaii.

Subject: Herbs--Therapeutic use--Hawaii.

Subject: Materia medica, Vegetable--Hawaii.

Changed to:

QK99 .P75 K73 2001 (CUH)

Botany--Medical botany (General)--By region or country, A-Z--Polynesia

RS172 .H3 K73 2001 (LOC)

Pharmacy and materia medica--Materia medica--Geographical distribution.

Natural sources--By region or country--America--North America--United States--

By region or state, A-Z--Hawaii

Challenges

Experimental cataloging Not a wealth of existing published work

Crash course in subject cataloging

Working within constructs of LCSH Regional vs. local cutter divisions

Creating a system for the ages Documenting the procedure and ―theory‖ for future staff

Increased cataloging workload to review new Hawaiian/Pacific items

Staff training for new system

Handling related concepts – Indigenous worldview: interconnected

i.e., myths-legends-religion-hula are not (necessarily) separate

entities

Subject expertise

How do we track the results?

Opportunities

Successful collocation of items!

Establish local subject headings (including Hawaiian

language?)

Hawaiian-Pacific collection Subject cataloging guide for future

catalogers (esp. for related concepts)

Added access points for future cultural relevance

TITLE OLD CALL # NEW CALL #

Hawaiian herbs of medicinal value QK99 .K213 1968 QK99 .P75 K33 1968

Native plants used as medicine in Hawaii QK99 .H3 K73 1979 QK99 .P75 K737 1979

Plants in Hawaiian medicine DU624.65 .K73 2001 QK99 .P75 K738 2001

Thank You!

To contact Eric or Puanani, follow the chart:

Or:

eric.leong@chaminade.edu / pakaka@chaminade.edu

735-4725

Bibliography

Bethel, K E. “Culture Keepers: Cataloging the Afrocentric Way.” Reference Librarian 45, no. 46 (1994): 221-240.

Carter, Nancy Carol. “American Indians and Law Libraries: Acknowledging the Third Sovereign.” Law Library Journal 94, no. 1 (Winter 2002): 7-26.

Kam, Vanessa. “Subject Headings for Aboriginals: The Power of Naming,” Art Documentation 26, no. 2 (2007): 18-22.

MacDonell, Paul, Reiko Tagami, and Paul Washington. Brian Deer Classification. 2003. The University of British Columbia. 6 July 2009. <http://www.slais.ubc.ca/COURSES/libr517/02-03-wt2/projects/deer/index.htm>

Nicolas, Yann. “Folklore Requirements for Bibliographic Records: Oral Traditions and FRBR.” Cataloging & Classification Quarterly 39, no. 3 (2005): 179-195.

Olson, Hope A. “Mapping Beyond Dewey's Boundaries: Constructing Classificatory Space for Marginalized Knowledge Domains.” Library Trends 47, no. 2 (Fall 1998): 233-255. Academic Search Premier, EBSCO host (accessed July 6, 2009).

Riggs, Fred. “Indigenous Concepts: A Concept for Social and Information Science.” International Social Science Journal 39, no.4 (1987): 607-617.