Pacific Cultures research: What we’re working on

Find out about some of our current Pacific Cultures research projects.

A stamp with red printing on it that says "Reichspost. PF 10 PF and the word Sāmoa in black printed across it.

Symposium: Shared histories, connected futures

This event explores the entangled relationships between Aotearoa New Zealand, Germany and Sāmoa through a series of talks by museum professionals, university scholars and artists.

Black and white photo of two people standing in a field next to a piece of weaving

Mapping the Sāmoa Collection

This project aims to enhance museum catalogue records and develop digital maps to contextualise taonga; enhancing their visibility and improving associated biographies, which then allows communities to utilise and share these resources, as well as support museum collections and knowledge.

Orange, brown, yellow, and white circles on a bark cloth on a black background

Forthcoming publication: Tapa (working title)

Research and publication of a book on the art of Pacific tapa cloth in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Black and white photo of 11 men in overalls standing in front of a factory

Industrial Histories: a co-collecting project

A co-collecting project exploring how Pacific peoples remember their post-war migration to New Zealand to fill the labour shortages of a rapidly growing economy.

A book cover with a lot of people on it on an orange background

Publication: Tangata o le Moana (2nd edition)

Researching and updating the 2012 publication, Tangata o le Moana – New Zealand and the people of the Pacific.

A black and white photo of a Pacific island beach with palm trees

Research Project: Sāmoan Multiplicities: Experiences of Samoanness

The project hypothesizes that experiences of Samoanness are spatially embedded - in landscapes, journeys, and multiple localities. They are also simultaneously, yet temporally, negotiated - through memories, narratives, and genealogies.