Te Umanibong
Te Umanibong
Formation1973
FounderTungavalu Society
TypeGovernmental
PurposeCultural
Key people
Pelea Tehumu
Staff (2014)
5
Websitehttps://internalaffairs.gov.ki/cmd/

1°21′59″N 173°07′17″E / 1.36639°N 173.12139°E / 1.36639; 173.12139Te Umanibong (also Te Umwanibong[1]) or the Kiribati Cultural Museum, or Kiribati Museum and Cultural Centre, is a museum in Bikenibeu on the atoll of Tarawa in Kiribati. It displays artefacts and other items of cultural and historic significance.[2]

History

The beginnings of the foundation of Te Umanibong date to 1971, when the intention was set after a UNESCO meeting in Suva.[3] This led to the foundation in 1973 of the Tungavalu Society, which was set up by islanders and people in the diaspora from the Gilbert and Ellice islands.[4] The society ran a newsletter called Banan Tungavalu, which was distributed from September 1974.[4][5] In 1975, the society held their first exhibition and a craft competition.[5]

In 1977 a Cultural Unit was formed as part of the Ministry of Education, and it became responsible for the nascent growth of cultural heritage in Kiribati. The unit focussed and documented much of the country's intangible cultural heritage. In 1987, the Cultural Unit began to consider "the museum" as a separate section of its work, and, with the aid of two development workers from New Zealand, plans for a physical museum proceeded.[5]

Buildings and administration

Kiribati Cultural Museum in Bikenibeu, Tarawa

In 1990 the government of New Zealand funded the construction of a museum building in Bikenibeu. In order for the museum to be built, a sea wall had to be constructed to drain and reclaim the land. The building opened in 1991 and raised the profile of the organisation both within the country and overseas. At the same time as the museum was being built, a mwaneaba was constructed in the grounds. There is also a botanic garden in the grounds, with a focus on medicinal plants.[5]

As of 2014 the museum has five employees: Senior Cultural Officer, Cultural Officer, Assistant Cultural Officer, Web Advisor, and a Registry Clerk. From 2006 to 2014 the Senior Culture Officer was Tekautu Ioane.[6] From 2014 the position has been held by Pelea Tehumu.[7][5]

Collections

During the 1970s the Tungavalu Society began to establish a museum collection, this was initially based on donations from I-Kiribati and foreign workers. It was also anticipated that requests for repatriation of objects held in museum collections elsewhere would be granted and would contribute to the collection. In 1979 an exhibition of Kiribati artefacts was organised as part of the celebrations of independence. A public appeal was made for objects relating to Kiribati's history, either for loan for the duration of the display or to form part of the national collection. In addition the governments of Fiji, Samoa and Tokelau sent objects relating to their cultures as gifts to mark Kiribati's independence, resulting in Kiribati having a Pacific cultures collection. In 1997 the museum purchased eel traps from Nonouti and by 1998 there were approximately 80 objects in the collection.[5]

The museum displays focus on the material culture of Kiribati under themes which include: mwaneabas, pandanus basketry, dance costumes, fishing. There is also a small display of objects relating to Kiribati in the Second World War.[5]

Overseas collections

In part due to legacies of colonial exploitation, many objects relating to Kiribati's cultural heritage are held in overseas collections, which include: the British Museum;[8][9] National Museums Scotland;[10] Glasgow Museums;[11] Te Papa;[12] Metropolitan Museum of Art;[13] Peabody Museum;[14] Pitt Rivers Museum;[15] Otago Museum;[16] Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology;[17] Bowers Museum;[18] amongst others.

References

  1. ↑ Hazelgrove Planel, Lucie; Thomas, Nicholas (2019-04-30) [2018]. "Te Umwanibong, Culture and Development in Kiribati" (PDF).
  2. ↑ Kiribati National Tourism Office Archived 2008-03-16 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Themes, Studio. "ERGO SUM - Kiribati National Museum and Cultural Centre". Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  4. 1 2 "Tungavalu Society". The Journal of the Polynesian Society. 84 (3). 1975.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Planel, Lucie Hazelgrove; Thomas, Nicholas (2018). TE UMWANIBONG, CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT IN KIRIBATI: Heritage Matters (PDF). Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology.
  6. ↑ Thomas, Frank R. (2014-05-04). "Shellfish Gathering and Conservation on Low Coral Islands: Kiribati Perspectives". The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology. 9 (2): 203–218. doi:10.1080/15564894.2014.921959. ISSN 1556-4894.
  7. ↑ "UNESCO - Kiribati". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  8. ↑ "Collections Online | British Museum". www.britishmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  9. ↑ Journeys, Object. "Kiribati Tungaru Association working with the British Museum By Krista Dixon | Object Journeys". Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  10. ↑ "2.4 Introduction to Pacific Collections: Material Culture of Kiribati" (PDF).
  11. ↑ "Glasgow Museums - Kiribati Collection" (PDF).
  12. ↑ "Loading... | Collections Online - Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  13. ↑ "Adze". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  14. ↑ "Highlight | Four-Prong Spearhead". www.peabody.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  15. ↑ "Coconut fibre armour (1941.2.74)". web.prm.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  16. ↑ "KIRIBATI ARMOUR". Otago Museum. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  17. ↑ "The Island Warrior: Coconut Fibre Armour from Kiribati".
  18. ↑ "At Harms Length: Shark Tooth Spears of the Gilbert Islands". Bowers Museum. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
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