Pacific Arts Association

Objects in the Active Voice: Dialogues between the Torres Strait and Cambridge
Author(s): Anita Herle
Source: Pacific Arts, No. 23/24 (July 2001), pp. 21-28
Published by: Pacific Arts Association
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 Objects in the Active Voice: Dialogues between
the Torres Strait and Cambridge
Anita Herle
Senior Assistant Curator (Anthropology), Cambridge University

Many Pacific Arts Association members will be deliberately juxtaposed these two photographs on
familiar with an nfren-niîhlicherl nhnrnaranh chnw
the first page of his personal photo album of the
ing five of the seven members of the 1898 Cambridge Expedition, entitled "Sunny Memories," along with
Anthropological Expedition to the Torres Strait on two additional photographs of Pasi (Haddon's main
TL. i - i
the beach at Mabuiag (Fig. 1) The leader of the uuvjioiuxai v/11 1'ivi j rn i 11\. a^^ai VIII I1V.1V,

Expédition, Alfred Cort Haddon is seated, while hints at complex relationships that developed
behind him stand (1-r) William Rivers, William between researchers and indigenous assistants and at
Selipman. Svdnev Rav and Anrhonv Wilkin. One
the self-consciousness and agency of artifacts (in this
may read a number of things into this image. instance photographs).
Generally, these men appear self confident, perhaps An underlying premise of my article, developed
even Drazen, wmie at me same ume mey iook out or elsewhere, is that objects in museum collections
place — Englishmen ill adapted to the tropical cli have life-histories and agency that connect people
mate. A comparison with a less-familiar image is and events over space and time (Herle and Philp
revealing. This photograph, taken in the same place 1998a; Herle 2000). The photographs and objects
cii annual exactly 111c ^aiiic 11111c ^iuuk. ai liic Miau collected by the Expedition members embody sue
ows), shows the Expeditions friends and interpreters cessive layers or meaning. 1 hey provide ethno
on Mabuiag (Fig. 2). Even the relative position of graphic information about the people of the Torres
the Islanders mirrors that of the Expedition mem Strait at the end of the nineteenth century, but this
bers. Gizu, a senior elder is seated in the same place material also played an active role in the relation
as Haddon; Waria, who was soon to become ships between Islanders, Expedition members, mis
/i i \ m i • .1

rriurnuudc ^iiv^cuainaii/ ividuuidg adauiiiv-o lii\^ pwoi sionaries, traders and academic communities. These
tion of Rivers; while Peter and Tom stand slightly objects have passed through various museological
behind. Is this positioning a coincidence? Haddon systems of classification and been used for the dis

Figure i. Five of the seven Expedition members on Figure 2. The Expeditions assistants posed in the
the beach at Mabuiag, 1898 same position as the Expedition members
(©CUMAA P.751.ACH1) (©CUMAA P.704.ACH1)

July 2001 21

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semination of anthropological knowledge to spe research remain a crucial resource for Islander

cialist and popular audiences. Once considered rem knowledge about the past, the accuracy of some of
nants of a 'traditional' past that had all but disap the details (especially in Rivers' genealogies) has
peared, some objects have remained embedded in been challenged. For Islanders, knowledge is owned

Islander knowledge and today are symbolic of a and selectively passed to descendants. When con
strong resurgent Islander identity. temporary Islanders refer to information in the
In British intellectual history the Torres Strait Reports or the museums catalogue records, they look
Expedition has been noted for its comprehensive for the source as a means to verify or question the
research agenda, methodological innovations, and documentation. Once they know who provided spe
the influence of (primarily) Haddon and Rivers on cific information they ascertain whether that person
the institutionalization of social anthropology. The was in a position to have both the 'deep' knowledge
Expedition members included scholars from the and the right to tell a particular story.
fields of natural sciences, ethnology, physical The continuing importance of the Expedition
anthropology, experimental psychology, physiology, and its results on Torres Strait Islanders, generally
... i ,. . • i r i •

lilCUlClllC, dliU. lillgUlàllCà Willi 1 Hi LI ICI CAjJClllàC 111 unacknowledged by researchers outside Australia,
decorative art, music, and photography. The was highlighted by plans for a major exhibition at
Vvr\/i/^ i fl^n'r nrrvrlr kir Koon ^»*o/-lu-û/J unfU tkû iti<-a
the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology
gration of field research and scholarly interpretation, and Anthropology. Preparations for "Torres Strait
Rivers' development of the 'genealogical method,' Islanders: An Exhibition to Mark the Centenary of
and the innovative use of photography and film. the 1898 Cambridge Anthropological Expedition"
Interactions between the Expedition members and (July 1998-August 2000) provided an opportunity
specific Islanders generated an enormous amount of to look in some detail at the encounter between
material: extensive written documentation includ Expedition members and islanders and to renew an
ing the official six-volume Reports, private journals, ongoing dialogue between Cambridge museum staff
and correspondence; over one thousand artifacts; and Torres Strait Islanders. The process of creating
several hundred photographs; drawings; sound the exhibition involved consultation and some col
recordings; moving film. These collections are now laborative research. I met with the Torres Strait
r»fimirilir KiMirorl m t-ka rtf A ia m r
Regional Authority (TSRA), the indigenous gov
and Anthropology and libraries at the University of ernment established in 1994, and other cultural lead
Cambridge. ers in the Strait and on the Australian mainland in
Historical records including heldnotes, diaries, 1996; Jude Philp (the project's research assistant)
and correspondence, as well as Islander memory, tes conducted 18 months doctoral fieldwork on
tify to the active role of individual Islanders in the Thursday Island, Mer and Boigu; and Mary Bani
ExDedition's work (Herle icioSa). Haddon rook treat (an Islander curator at the National Museum of
care to identify his sources of information in the Australia) worked at Cambridge for 3 months in
reports, wnere namea isianaers are orten quoted ver 1997- Together we produced an exhibition outline
batim alongside accounts from the Expedition that was sent to over 60 Islander cultural and polit
members and other researchers. The attribution of ical representatives. While the consultative process
knowledge as well as Haddon's practice of sending was inevitably limited by distance, time, resources,
copies of his publications back to Torres Strait for and often the means of communication, the con
comment challenges some commonly held stereo sultative process was crucial to the success of the
types about anthropology at the turn of the centu exhibition, influencing the content and layout of the
ry. Then and now the Reports generate much inter exhibition as well as the responses to the material
coi anu uislussioii among isianaers. i\n awareness or selected for display.
the source of information is particularly important The overall aim of the exhibition was to critical
to people from Mer and Mabuiag, the two islands ly review the Expedition and its legacies, while pre
mac were me rocus or tne nxpeaitions researcn ana senting the strength, richness, and diversity oi Allan
the home to Haddons main assistants and their
Kastom (Island Ways), past and present. The
descendants. While the results of the Expeditions approach sought a nuanced understanding of his

22 Pacific Arts

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torically specific encounters between people, knowl between the Expedition members and the Islanders,
iirl t-1-* nnavna^fa^ rûf 111 *-c Crrtrn l-Uû kooi n n i nrr
edge systems, and associated objects. Exhibition
texts include historic and contemporary quotes the anthropological field became a place of creative
frnm numerous snnrres inrlnrlincr Tslanrlers.
D O /

Expedition members, missionaries, colonial officers up in the exhibition between the original motivat
• _ 1- _r^L_ T? J* • _ _„J __1 •
and academics. The juxtaposition of overlapping O 5UtUJ lllv

narratives serves to multiply the shifting contexts of that developed between researchers and assistants in
the objects on disnlav and in some instances reacti adjacent sections entitled Recording, Measure
vate them. It is hoped that this approach conveys ment and Collecting" and "Fieldwork and Friend

some or the complexity or contact situations with ship."

out losing the coherence of the story-line. Through consultation the preparations for the
In addition to nearly 300 Islander objects, the exhibition attempted to respect Islander notions of
exhibition includes the material culture of the propriety — permission was sougni ror une inclu
Expédition — calipers, a microscope, a color wheel, sion of culturally sensitive material, and several
t ~..:i i' „ i:„
drafts of the text describing the movements of the
phonograph, and a magic lantern projector. The sacred cult hero Malo-Bomai were presented to
Expedition's technology, associated knowledge and elders on Mer for modification and approval (Figs.
-, J a:i—
skills, including the psychological testing equip
ment, played an important role in mediating presented through the inclusion of topics of concern

Figures 3 and 4. Front and back of a cardboard model of the Bomai mask made for Haddon by Wano and
Enocha on Mer in August 1898. The front has "jaw-bones" attached to the bottom of the chin, while the reverse
represents a turtle. The original, made of turtle shell, disappeared some time before the Expedition went to the
Torres Strait. It may have been destroyed by missionaries or, according to some oral history accounts, Malo
Bomai buried it himself. This mask featured in a re-enactment of the Malo-Bomai ceremonies — a few minutes
survive on the original film footage taken by the Expedition. (©CUMAA Z9441)

July 2001 23

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 longer exist in the Strait. The named Islanders in the
quotes and photographs were not simply multiple
voices or pieces of intersubjective 'evidence,' they
were named ancestors — we heard stories about
them and are reminded or their living descendants.
Çnmp r\f liiiro Kaan fnfrYrxt-t-on Kn«- mnmr
} —D /

remain embedded in Islander knowledge about the

past that is often expressed through stories. The
objects themselves animated conversations between
museum staff and Islanders and encouraged a shar
ing of knowledge.
The museum was honored by an official delega
tion from the Torres Strait Regional Authority at the
opening of the Exhibition on i July 1998. In atten
dance were Ron Day, Chairman of Mer, and
Terrence Whap, Chairman of Mabuiag; direct
descendants of Haddon's close assistants and repre
sentatives of the two Islands where the Expedition
members conducted most of their research (Fig. 6).
Those of us who were privileged to witness Day's
powerful and eenerous speech were left in no doubt
as to the continuing impact of the Expedition's
results for Torres Strait Islanders. Shortly after the
Figure 5. AlickTipoti holding one of his linocut
exhibition opened, John Abednego, Chairman of
prints purchased by the Cambridge Museum for the tcd a n u_: J :c n_.

exhibition. Entitled Mura Urauiaw Danka (For the

exhibition. He was pleased that the exhibition had
eyes of every living creature), it incorporates images
ofTorres Strait objects collected by Haddon (©Anita a section on the Regional Authority, which includ
Herle, CUMAA 1998.57) ed orhcial documents such as annual reports and a
corporate statement that were available for visitors
to Islanders today, objects of popular culture, video to read. He presented the museum with a rramed
clips from the 1993 cultural festival on Thursday photograph of the 20 recently elected representa
Island, and a section on the lorres btrait Regional
Authority, the indigenous government established
in 1994. Copies of TSRA annual reports and corpo
rate plan were available for visitors to read in the
gallery. Relationships between the Lxpeditions
work and Islanders today were also interpreted
inrougn contemporary isianaer art, wnere ODjecis
collected Dy nadaon, including commissioned
models, appeared as inspirational motifs (Fig. 5).
The most valuable and informative experiences
have involved inrerarfinns with Islanders wirhin rhe

museum. The story-line of the exhibition and the

Figure 6. Ron Day, Chairman of Mer, describing the
rich material on display provoked strong emotive
movements of Malo-Bomai to Terrence Whap,
responses. Initially Islanders tended to be over
Chairman of Mabuiag. They are standing in front of
whelmed by the amount and quality of the materi
a case containing models of the sacred masks made
al on display — they were delighted to see objects for Haddon by Wano and Enocha in 1898. With
that have been carefully documented and preserved Day's assistance, the text for the case was modified
and saddened by the reminder of things that no and approved by elders on Mer. (©CUMAA1998)

24 Pacific Arts

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tives of the TSRA. This photograph was the last the Torres Strait is certainly not limited to the
image in the exhibition — the members of the TSRA Cambridge exhibition. Islanders also organized a
looked directly towards the visitor when they left the major exhibition for 1998, "Ilan Pasin: This is our
gallery. way, Torres Strait Art," curated by Tom Mosby and
The renewed dialogue between Cambridge and Brian Robinson, which opened at the Cairns

Figure 7. Head-dress, dhari, made of white sea bird (Torres Strait pigeon) and cassowary feathers bound to an
ochred cane frame. Worn by men for dances and ceremonial occasions. This type of head-dress continues to be
an important symbol ofTorres Strait Islander identity. Collected on Mer in 1898. (© CUMAA Z7531)

July 2001 25

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Regional Gallery and toured numerous venues Queensland courtroom.
throughout Australia. This was the first major Torres In September 1999 a delegation of Islander elders,
Strait exhibition in Australia and it demonstrates the supported by the Australian Arts Board and the
richness and vitality of contemporary Torres Strait National Museum of Australia, spent approximate
art. Historic pieces from museum collections, ly two weeks in Cambridge (Fig. 8). The members
including a dhari (feather headdress) (Fig. 7) lent by of the delegation were carefully selected from a larg
Cambridge (placed on the cover of the catalogue), er consultative committee to represent different
provided a backdrop for a vibrant contemporary art interests in and associations to the material in the
works in a variety of mediums. These included: elab Cambridge collections. The delegates included
«•"vuxa.vu wv,cii.v,v* —
Bishop David Passi (the grandson of Haddon's main
and Patrick Thaiday; paintings by Ephriam Bani, assistant on Mer), Goby Noah (a senior Meriam
àegar rassi, and Rai Waia depicting legendary sto elder resident in Queensland), Flo Kennedy (noted
ries and paintings by Joseph Dorante and Richardo for her active involvement in community organiza
Idagi placing ritual objects now in museum collec tions and with family ties to both Mer and the cen
flAni- 1 n f-r. nam naffl »-* on ■ 1<n/-k «—11 *-r ki r T ^ an n lr
tral Islands), Ephraim Bani (cultural consultaatnt to
Nona, Brian Robinson, and Alick Tipoti; printed the local council on Thursday Island and a Mabuiag
textiles by Rosie Barkus and Tatipai Barsa; and Ellen elder), FrancesTapim (political leader among main
loses oowerful installation resembling a grave dec iana isianaers ana director or iviagani iviaiu Res in
orated for a tombstone opening with a stylized dhari Townsville), and Leilani Bin-luda (curatorial assis
hparlçfnnp anrl fh<=» wnrrlc "R I P fprrci nnllic (i£\
tant at the National Museum of Australia). They
January 1788-3 June 1992)." This last piece refers to came specifically to see the exhibition as well as to
me murray iMaiiu i^aiiu coiiiiiioniy reierreu to conduct their own research in the reserve collections
—i a\^.
as the Mabo case after one of the plaintiffs, which
in 1992 marked the first time that the Australian plans for the Torres Strait gallery in the new National
Government recognized the prior ownership of land l'iujvuiu ill i xuon ana \a ' i'iJ iy j aiiu aooiouvu 111 OV.1V.Vi,

by an indigenous group. Not incidently, Rivers ine and approving a list of over 60 objects from
genealogies were used as evidence of the historical Cambridge. A special exhibition of these objects was
association between families and land in the prepared for the opening of the NMA on n March
2001. After closing at the NMA in March 2002, the
exhibition will travel to the Cairns Regional Gallery
where the material will be accessible to a greater
number of Islanders. Unfortunately, there is no
• • -Lnr l ..

d™~—i a.,«-I— ûn,i„Lkk„:—f—

—1>' j j y —~

um of international standards to be built on

Thursday Island.
"Torres Strait Islanders: an exhibition to mark the

centenary or the 109» Anthropological Expedition

attempted to emphasize the multiple and shifting
contexts of the objects on display. This approach was
facilitated Dy tne specincity or tne Historical ana cul
tural context of the encounter between Expedition
Figure 8. Elders, (1-r) Frances Tapim, Flo Kennedy, members and Islanders, as well as the information
Ephraim Bani, and David Pasi looking through
that was produced. Entaneled in distinct but over
Torres Strait objects in the reserve collections at
Cambridge. Frances Tapim recorded the delegations lapping narratives for over a century, the objects
visit on over 12 hours of digital video, including a themselves resist placement within a simple linear
case-by-case tour of the exhibition, conversations story-line. Specific objects continue to have reso
with museum staff, and details of objects, and nance for Islanders today (Fig. 9). Retaining a pow
archival material. (© CUMAA 1999) erful spiritual presence directly connected to per

26 Pacific Arts

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Figure 9. Elaborate mask with human figure on top of a crocodile, composed of plates of molded turtle-shell
decorated with cassowary feathers, goa nuts, and cowries. Made by Gizu and collected by Haddon at Nagir Island
in August 1888. When Ephriam Bani first saw this mask in 1995 he spontaneously and with great emotion told the
associated story of Uberi Kuberi. This event was included in Frances Calvert's film "Cracks in the Mask." In the
exhibition the mask is displayed beside the video sequence of Ephraim Bani telling its story. (©CUMAA 1890.182)

July 2001 27

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sonal and family stories and re-appropriated as icons References

of increased political self-determination, many of Haddon, A. (ed.) 1901-35. Reports of the Cambridge
these objects continue to be an important resource Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits.
for Islanders' knowledge about the past as well as a Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
source of inspiration for contemporary artists. vol. II, Physiology and Psychology, Part 1,1901, Part
Before closing I would like to return to the pho II, 1903.
tograph of the Expedition members on the beach at vol. V, Sociology, Magic and Religion of the Western
Mabuiag. The Expedition's emphasis on direct field Islanders, 1904.
research in the Torres Strait provided the basis for vol. Ill, Linguistics, 1907.
the development of intensive fieldwork as the essen vol. VI, Sociology, Magic and Religion of the Eastern
tial method of British social anthropology. A hun Islanders, 1908.
dred years later, the museum itself may also be a vol. IV, Arts and Crafts, 1912.
fieldsite, a place for encounter and creative dialogue, vol. I, General Ethnography, 1935.
a site for the production and sharing of specialized Herle, A. and J. Philp 1998. Torres Strait Islanders: An
knowledge. Exhibition Marking the Centenary of the 1898
Anthropological Expedition. Cambridge: University
Notes: of Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and
The exhibition booklet, Torres Strait Strait Islanders: An Anthropology.
Exhibition Marking the Centenary of the i8ç8 Herle, A. and S. Rouse (eds.) 1998. Cambridge and
Anthropological Expedition (64 pages including 60 the Torres Strait: Centenary Essays on the 1898
b&vv illustration), is available from the museum for Anthropological Expedition, Cambridge:
£3.95 plus £2 postage and handling. Cambridge University Press.
1. also spelled ilan. Herle, A. 2000. (in press) "Torres Strait Islanders:
Stories from an Exhibition" Ethnos vol. 65:2.
Mosby. T. and B. Robinson (eds.) 1998. Ilan Pasin
(This Is our Way) Torres Strait Art. Cairns: Cairns
Regional Gallery.

28 Pacific Arts

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