In March 2014 the project was lucky to have Remke van der Velden as an intern. Remke had previously worked as a collections assistant at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge, the following describes her month long project:

During the month of March I was in the fortunate position to document and photograph most of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology’s Micronesian collection as part of the Pacific Presences Project. A relatively small collection, it comprises around 250 objects from Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, the Caroline Islands and the Marshall Islands. It has been an exciting process engaging with the objects from this under-researched area of the Pacific. What has struck me most of all going through the collection is the craftsmanship and artistry with which many of these objects have been designed. Working with often very delicate materials such as shell, turtle shell and plant fibres requires immense skill, and patience!

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Tray, Palau

The research also, unexpectedly, offered up interesting parallels with work I have previously undertaken on the MAA’s African Collections as part of the Origins of the Afro Comb exhibition held at the Fitzwilliam Museum last year. Some of the forms and materials used in the design of these objects for example are remarkably similar to pieces from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. This probably says more about the functionality of the object and shared characteristic of hair type than the existence of any cross-cultural relations between the two groups.

1954.66 C
Comb, Yap, Caroline Islands

1948.2339 B
Comb, Rwanda or Democratic Republic of Congo

Though I was always taught as a little girl that favouritism is to be avoided, I have to say that the very small collection of items from Nauru has bypassed that principle. My absolute favourite piece, possibly fed by my own interest in creating beaded jewellery, is a small headband consisting of two different types of seeds, one brown and the other blue, strung on a cotton cord with a black elastic (possibly not original) back strap. It’s the vibrancy of the blue that struck me, as well as the intricate pattern in which the seeds are woven together. It is understated in its use of material but manages to have great impact nevertheless.

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Headband, Nauru

Finally, one of the highlights of working on the project has been the opportunity to exchange knowledge with curators and artists from Micronesia (and the Pacific in general) during their weeklong visit as part of the Conference on Oceanic Art and European Museums. It further informed the research and I am very grateful to the Pacific Presences Team for providing me with the opportunity to participate in the Project!

Remke van der Velden