Phoebe Blogg, The Australian Museum opens new Wansolmoana Pasifika gallery, National Indigenous Times, 16 October 2023

Having officially opened its doors to the public last week, The Australian Museum is proud to welcome its new Wansolmoana Pasifkia Gallery to Sydney.

The new Wansolmoana – meaning One Salt Ocean – gallery, is the latest home for the Australian Museum’s permanent Pasifika collection. Now one of the largest and most significant Pasifika collections in the world, Wansolmoana features stories and artefacts of some 19 Pacific nations with collection items from 32 Pacific communities.

Designed around the themes of deep connections, identities and disruptions, Wansolmoana speaks to the experiences of both Pacific Island people living in the region and the diaspora of Pasifika people living in New South Wales.

Showcasing a selection of the Australian Museum’s leading Pasifika Collection with over 60,000 objects, this Wansolmoana collection also features newly commissioned objects by prominent Pacific Island artists and knowledge holders.

Objects on display that have already been of great interest to the public include the infamous Tokelauan canoe used in the 2014 Climate Change protest in Newcastle Harbour, as well as a ‘Turaga’ Fijian warlord’s ceremonial attire.

When discussing the topic of cultural leadership, leading curator of the exhibition Melissa Malu said the new gallery is an opportunity for the community to explore these cultures in greater depth all whilst enabling the museum further opportunity to forge cultural leadership.

“The opening of this new gallery represents a major opportunity for the Australian Museum to forge cultural leadership with respect to collecting practices and its role as an enabler of community voices in the future”, she said.

“These objects are significantly important to the Pacific diaspora in Australia and offers them the opportunity to reconnect with their ancestral heritage.”

With a total of 300 objects on display, the Wansolmoana collection is the work of five years engagement with community voices from Pasifika nations and territories including Rapa Nui, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu Fiji, New Caledonia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

With the support of the Macdoch Foundation, the museum is now able to realise its mission of education, research and special programs with the Pacifica community.

“Australia is part of the Pacific region, and we have a considerable role to play to support this region, navigate significant geo-political challenges and respond to the reality that the Pasifika countries will acutely feel the effects of climate change,” said Macdoch Foundation chairman, Alasdair Macleod.

“These topics are explored in depth in the Australian Museum’s new permanent Pasifika Gallery Wansolmoana, and we are delighted by the engagement of expert Pasifika curators and the extensive community consultation.

“The Museum has gone a long way to de-institutionalise through community engagement and consultation, but even more importantly, it has asked community experts to lead the curatorial process. The curatorial team is outstanding.”

The new Wansolmoana gallery is not only giving voice to Pasifika and First Nations stories but formally endorsing a commitment to facilitate a place of healing, richness and welcome for both Pasikfia and First Nations people.

Wansolmoana is a permanent exhibition located on level 2 of the Australian Museum. For more information visit www.australian.museum.com

See also: ‘Don’t forget us’: Why this canoe is a sinking Pacific island’s last hope