The Powerhouse acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the ancestral homelands upon which our museums are situated. We respect their Elders, past, present and future and recognise their continuous connection to Country.

Treasure Islands: in collaboration with Arts and Cultural Exchange (ACE)

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Treasure Islands is a video series and Collection research project produced by Arts & Cultural Exchange in collaboration with the Powerhouse and on-island and Australian-born Samoans, Fijians, Cook Islanders, Tongans, Papua New Guineans and I-Kiribati.
In six island-specific episodes featuring conversations and performances facilitated by Samoan producer Lalau Leo Tanoi, knowledgeable guests discuss chosen cultural belongings including drums, baskets, tivaevae, pottery, symbolic gifts, …

89/764 Siapo (Samoan bark cloth), paper mulberry tree bark, maker not recorded, Samoa, 1920-1940
Siapo (Samoan bark cloth)
1920-1940
C4386-1 Saqa (water vessel), riverbed clay / dukua tree resin, maker not recorded, Fiji, c. 1900
Saqa (water vessel)
Before 1907
85/1284-594 Photograph, silver gelatin dry plate negative, full plate, ‘Coral Archway’, glass, for Charles Kerry & Co, photographed in Mua, Tonga, published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900
Glass plate negative of Haʻamonga ʻa Maui
c. 1884-1917
85/1284-1492 Photograph, silver gelatin dry plate negative, full plate, 'High Chief's Daughter', glass, for Charles Kerry & Co., photographed in Samoa, published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1884-1917
Photograph, silver gelatin dry plate negative, full plate, 'High Chief's Daughter', glass, for Charles Kerry & Co., photographed in Samoa, published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1884-1917
85/1284-562 Photograph, silver gelatin dry plate negative, full plate, 'Fiji Canoe Under Sail', glass, for Charles Kerry & Co., photographed in Fiji, published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1884-1917
Waqa Ni Viti – Camakau, Fijian watercraft
c. 1884-1917
93/39/1 Kundu (hand drum), wood / lizard skin / seed pods / pandanus, maker not recorded, Papua New Guinea, c. 1895
Kundu (hand drum)
c 1900
2009/73/1 Te riri ni mwaie (dancing skirt), coconut palm leaves / coconut husk, maker not recorded, Fanning Island, Kiribati, 1960-1963
Te riri ni mwaie (dancing skirt)
1960-1963
94/246/1 Tivaevae manu, cotton, designed and made by Teata Ruapuna, Mount Druitt, New South Wales, Australia, 1992-1993
Tivaevae manu by Teata Ruapuna
1992-1993
H6709 Bird of Paradise headpiece, taxidermy, maker not recorded, Papua New Guinea, 1885-1895
Bird of Paradise headpiece
1885-1895
H1857 [WEB APPROVED] te bwaene (basket), coconut palm frond, maker not recorded, Onotoa, Kiribati, c. 1895
Te bwaene (basket)
before 1899
94/265/1 Kafa (Tongan ceremonial belt), glass / plastic / hair, Sela Smith, Dee Why, New South Wales, Australia, 1990-1993
Kafa (Tongan ceremonial belt)
On display
2011/44/10-2 Bilum (string bag) for use as a gift of thanks, possum fur and polyester fibre, maker not recorded, attributed to Eastern Highlands province, Papua New Guinea, 1970-1975
Bilum (string bag)
1960-2001
85/1284-2917 Photograph, silver gelatin dry plate negative, half plate, 'Gilbert Islanders', glass, for Charles Kerry & Co., photographed in Gilbert Islands, Kiribati, published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1884-1917
Photograph, silver gelatin dry plate negative, half plate, 'Gilbert Islanders', glass, for Charles Kerry & Co., photographed in Gilbert Islands, Kiribati, published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1884-1917
94/265/2 Kafa (Tongan ceremonial belt), glass / plastic / fabric / shells / hair, Sela Smith, Dee Why, New South Wales, Australia, 1990-1993
Kafa (Tongan ceremonial belt)
2011/44/10-3 Bilum (string bag) for collecting food, tree bark fibre and natural dyes, maker not recorded, attributed to Sepik or Madang region, Papua New Guinea, 1960-2001
Bilum (string bag)
1960-2001
2006/21/9 Tabua (ceremonial whale tooth), sperm whale tooth / coconut fibre, maker unknown, Fiji, c. 1900
Fijian tabua
c. 1900
94/265/3 Kafa (Tongan ceremonial belt), glass / plastic / fabric / shells / hair, Sela Smith, Dee Why, New South Wales, Australia, 1990-1993
Kafa (Tongan ceremonial belt)
85/1284-1893 Photograph, silver gelatin dry plate negative, half plate, glass, for Charles Kerry & Co, photographed in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900
Photograph, silver gelatin dry plate negative, half plate, glass, for Charles Kerry & Co, photographed in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900