Tag: 8. Juni 2010

From 1996 to 2001 she worked with the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs and from 2002 -to 2004 she worked with the Public Sector Reforms Management Unit of the Department of Prime Minister. Then in 2005 she moved to the University of Papua New Guinea School of Humanities and Social Sciences to teach Records and Archives Management within the Information and Communication Sciences Strand.

As a graduate trainee with the National Archives from 1982-1985, Tukul served primarily in the Archives Services Section which dealt with reference services relating to personal and written enquiries during which time she became very accustomed to the National Archives relating to British rule in Papua New Guinea from 1884-1906 and later Australian rule of the former British Protectorate. Among the archives of British and Australian rule was a document known as the Patrol Report which intrigued Tukul Kaiku. The Patrol Report was a report which was furnished by District Administration Field Officers who during the course of administrative patrols took notes of the places and people they visited. From 1884 to 1973 these government officers patrolled the country for purposes of opening up the country and establishing government control. A collection of such patrols was soon identified and Tukul used these for display during the Archives Week in 1983. She later featured the same patrols in a series titled ‘Government and the Opening of the Country’ in a series of newspaper articles.

Another highlight of her work at the National Archives was the move from the first repository to a new building in 1988, where Tukul used her knowledge of the archives to decide which accessions and series groups would go onto which shelves in the new building.

At the University of Papua New Guinea, apart from teaching Records and Archives Management she also teaches other courses such as Information Sources, Information Literacy, Marketing of Information and Library Services, Outreach and Information Extension Services as well as Fieldwork practice. While at the University of Papua New Guinea she has been participating on outreach programs including working with the staff of student records.

As a Records and Archives educator she attended the Asia and Pacific Training and Education conference in Tokyo in 2006.

In 2008, she developed a Training Module for the Public Sector Workforce Development Program and very recently in 2009 she developed a Trainer/Learner Handbook for the Training of Papua New Guinea Government Officers in the use of the PARBICA Recordkeeping for Good Governance Toolkit. Also in 2009, she completed a Study Guide and Resource Book and Course Outline Booklet on the course Information Literacy for offer on Distance Mode in first semester of 2011 by the University of Papua New Guinea’s Open Colleges.

Tukul Kaiku is a highly valued and extremely active member of the Pacific Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives and participates in PARBICA’s biennial conferences and has played a crucial role in the formulating of ideas for the PARBICA Recordkeeping for Good Governance Toolkit, as a member of the Toolkit’s regional reference group.

Tukul Kaiku also participates in activities relating to indigenous knowledge systems of her home island. For instance in July 2009, she attended the 14th Congress of the International Anthropological and Ethnographic Association at Kunming, China, where she presented a paper on four examples of Indigenous knowledge practices of her people.

There are four staff members within the Information and Communication Sciences Strand where Tukul Kaiku teaches. These staff members teach Information Management courses in the area of Information and Information Literacy, Library Science, Records and Archives and Information Technology. Tukul Kaiku is the Records and Archives educator on the staff.

In a country where managing archives and records is anything but easy, Tukul Kaiku’s energy, leadership, commitment, enthusiasm, integrity and professionalism is a constant inspiration to her friends and colleagues within the PARBICA family.

Tukul what is your background?

I come from New Hanover Island within the New Ireland Province in a country called Papua New Guinea in the South-West Pacific region. I grew up listening to myths and legends recounted to me by my grandparents and parents and to be told about sacred sites and spots and beings within my island environment. I have a Diploma in Secondary Teaching and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Papua New Guinea. My areas of interest at the university were in history, sociology and anthropology. I also have a Graduate Diploma in Information Management (Archives Administration) from the University of New South Wales in Australia.

I became an archivist in November 1982 after completing my degree studies. The Papua New Guinea National Library, under which the National Archives and Public Records Services of Papua New Guinea was a branch, was recruiting graduate trainees and so I signed up and opted to work with the National Archives.

As a graduate trainee with the National Archives from 1982-1985, I served primarily in the Archives Services Section which dealt with reference services relating to personal and written enquiries during which time I became very familiar with the National Archives relating to British rule in Papua New Guinea from 1884-1906 and later Australian rule of the former British Protectorate. Among the archives of British and Australian rule was a document known as the Patrol Report which intrigued me. The Patrol Report was a report which was furnished by District Administration Field Officers who during the course of administrative patrols took notes of the places and people they visited. From 1884 to 1973 these government officers patrolled the country for purposes of opening up the country and establishing government control. A collection of such patrols was identified and used for display during the Archives Week in 1983 and I later featured the same patrols in a series of newspaper articles under the theme ‘Government and the Opening of the Country’ in 1990.

How did you become an archives and records educator?

There was a vacant teaching post for a Records and Archives Management educator with the Information and Communications Sciences Strand within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Papua New Guinea. The position was advertised and I was invited to apply and was offered the job based on my qualifications as a teacher as well as my years of work with the National Archives and Public Records Services of Papua New Guinea and my post graduate training from the University of New South Wales former School of Library and Information Studies.

There are four staff members within the Information and Communication Sciences. We teach Information Management courses in the area of Information and Information Literacy, Library Science, Records and Archives and Information Technology. I am the Records and Archives educator on the staff.

Tell us about your recent achievements and your projects.

I have been an active member of the Pacific Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives since 2005. I have participated in PARBICA’s biennial conferences. Since 2006, I have played a crucial role in the formulating of ideas for the PARBICA Recordkeeping for Good Governance Toolkit, as a member of the Toolkit’s regional reference group. In 2008, I developed a Training Module for the Public Sector Workforce Development Program and very recently in 2009 a Trainer/Learner Handbook consisting of lessons for Training of Papua New Guinea Government Officers in the use of the PARBICA Recordkeeping for Good Governance Toolkit.

Also in 2009, I completed a Study Guide and Resource Book and Course Outline Booklet on the course Information Literacy for offer on Distance Mode in first semester of 2011 by the University of Papua New Guinea’s Open Colleges.

You are very active at the international level. What does this experience bring to you?

Working at such a level enables me to appreciate the vast differences between developed archival institutions and least developed archival institutions. In the Pacific Region in particular we the Pacific nation states can be seen as being miles behind in terms of records and archival infrastructure, staffing, professional development and training. Working with our colleagues from Australia and New Zealand who have been of tremendous assistance professionally and mentor wise gives us the opportunity to work at our pace within our context to bring ourselves forward. And so the experience in particular in the area of training is such that, as a trainer and educator one has to make adjustments and adapt training needs to suit individual situations and to avoid the ‘one size fits all’ notion. In the Pacific region for instance, most record keepers and archives officers do not have the necessary qualifications to be selected for university level education nor to be on par with colleagues who are working and in the digital domain, so special in-house training and workshop training material has to be developed to meet such target audiences.

What future do you imagine for archives in your country?

I see records and archives management to be an integral part of government and administration in my country with records and archival systems built into the systems and processes of government. I see a national records management policy and agency records management policies for the management of records from creation to disposal to be in place including other vital documents for the management and control of records being used as guide to assist records officers to efficiently and effectively conduct their work when handling records.

I see national government agencies systematically managing their records and the twenty provinces having their own records and archives centres where the records of their provinces, districts and local government administrations are professionally managed by trained staff. Currently, the twenty provinces do not have records storage facilities for the storage and preservation of their semi-current and non-current records. And I see training in records and archives management in government agencies and at the school of government.

From your point of view, what is a good professional in the Pacific Region? Is there a difference with professionals in other parts of the world?

A good professional in the Pacific Region? In the field of records and archives administration, a good professional would have to be a person who respects their colleagues and most of all who respect the records and archives in their care since they are custodians of such treasures, which are the heritage and identity of their people. Of course one would have to be well groomed and emanate a professional outlook both in dressing and appearance and above all, they would have to be helpful, pleasant and warm towards their colleagues, users and others. They must know their job and be prepared to protect the records in their care and above all they must be persons of integrity and professionalism so that they are a constant inspiration to their friends and colleagues

It is a known fact that archivists the world over are persons of all types. Some are animated or extroverts while others are introverts while some are of high esteem and still others are persons of high integrity and so on. Experience has shown that there is a kindred spirited archivist somewhere in other parts of the world. There are differences in training and educational and cultural backgrounds and attitudes, however, when it comes to being an archivist, there will be that kindred spirit buried within a person. A person who appreciates history and identity and who is passionate about such historical and cultural heritage.

What are some of your fondest memories of working with the ICA and PARBICA family?

I remember in particular the year 1991. This was my first time ever to go out of my country to undergo post graduate studies in Information Management (Archives Administration) at the University of New South Wales in Australia. I remember mentors like Nancy Lutton then Chief Archivist of the National Archives and Public Records Services of Papua New Guinea and Dr. Peter Orlovich of the University of New South Wales School of Library and Information Studies who ensured I applied for an AusAID Scholarship to do so. While at the University of New South Wales, Dr. Orlovich sought funding for me from the Commonwealth Foundation to attend my first ever PARBICA biennial conference held jointly in American and Western Samoa.

I remember Nancy Lutton getting me to be Editor of the PARBICA Journal from 1992-1994 at which time I did such and in that capacity went to Hawaii when the PARBICA Bureau met there as the President of PARBICA was then from Hawaii. I also remember PARBICA in Guam in 1994 where and when PARBICA was still grappling with the need to develop a Records Management Toolkit for use by Pacific Record keepers and Archivists. A Records Management Document was floated there but it did not eventuate into anything thereafter.

Joining the Archives ladder once more in 2005 provided an opportunity for me to get back into the PARBICA family beginning with my participation at the PARBICA biennial conference in Nadi, Fiji in 2005. At that meet, among resolutions which PARBICA passed was that for the development of a PARBICA Recordkeeping for Good Governance Toolkit. There is no way, Pacific Record keepers and Archivists can thank their Australian and New Zealand colleagues. They have been invaluable mentors and colleagues. Assistance from colleagues and staff of the National Archives of Australia and funding from AusAID as well as colleagues and staff of Archives New Zealand and NZAID for the development of the Toolkit have been such that Pacific Archivists are benefiting much from such an association.

The ICA and PARBICA provided funding for me to attend the 2nd Asia Pacific Conference for Archives Educators in Japan in 2006 where I presented some examples of Archival Training in the Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Region. The year 2007 saw the first tools of the PARBICA Toolkit being launched at the PARBICA biennial conference in Noumea and in 2008 I was privileged to be among a big contingent of Pacific Archivists who attended the 14th International Council on Archives Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.