Text: H. Boyd, P. Dodson, D. Ferguson, J. Healy, J. Hunt, B. James, P. Jones, S. Kleinert, A. McGrath, I. McLean, H. Morphy, W.J. Patrick, B. Pascoe, A. Poelina, B. Rooney, J. Ryan, T. Swain, M. West. Includes bibliographical references.
Contents:
Introduction -- Indigenous Australian Collection: The making of a collection -- Material Culture: Collections, connections, relationships -- The material culture of Western Australia -- Wanjina art of the Kimberley -- Artefacts of exchange and networks of trade -- Sorrow and celebration: material items of the Tiwi -- Cultural Heritage: The Yued clan: identity and cultural renewal -- The Kimberley: a cultural, political and social region -- Missions and the making of Aboriginal modern art in the Western Desert -- Wangkayarla Nguruku, Kapungku Nguruju Pina Wangkami-jarla -- Ancient 'evidence' for a modern sacred -- Talk about embarrassed -- Resilience and resurgence in Southeastern Australia -- Custodians: Protecting the river of life -- Voice of the land: Laurie Baymarrwangga (c. 1917-2014) -- Land of the first light -- 'We lived like Kings and Queens": Allan Richard Carriage (1942-2011) -- Origins in country: Bodies of dreamings colliding with land -- Catalogue of objects -- Notes, Bibliographical References and Authors Biographies.
Summary:
From the ancient Etruscans and Romans, to the Renaissance masters of Michelangelo and Raphael, the Vatican Museums represent an aspect of the history of humanity through art. The Indigenous Australian collection is a little known and unexplored part of that story. Being amongst some of the earliest known documentations of Australian Indigenous cultures, the collection includes the earliest extant set of Pukumani poles from Melville and Bathurst Islands, alongside more recent contributions of artworks and cultural objects, and presents materials that have not been exhibited before in Australia. The responsibility to culturally reconnect relevant contemporary Indigenous communities to their material heritage held in the museum has been realised and is documented in this catalogue, which includes a catalogue of objects and essays by Indigenous and non-Indigenous authors. During the process of community visits and consultations, images of the objects brought old and young people together, instigating intergenerational dialogue about the past. Now, in collaboration with communities, the Indigenous collection can be seen in this catalogue and is represented at the heart of the Vatican Museums where the objects have become cultural ambassadors inviting others to come and learn more about Australian Indigenous cultures.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.