Sponsor(s): Center for Southeast Asia Studies, Tracing Patterns Foundation
West Papua, a region of Indonesia on the island of New Guinea, is home to a diverse array of cultures and languages. Material cultures from this region are often created to communicate with spirits and ancestors. A primary challenge in displaying Papuan objects when removed from their original context, such as in museums, is maintaining their local significance and connection to indigenous communities. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion with Enrico Kondologit and Ajeng Arainikasih as they reflect on their month-long journey in the United States for the project “Representing Papua: Portrayal of Culture from Local, National, and Global Perspectives.” During their travels, they visited museums with Papuan collections, and they engaged with curators, conservators, and educators to discuss ethical acquisition, display, knowledge-sharing methods, and care for these valuable artifacts. Their trip was organized by the Tracing Patterns Foundation in preparation for the repatriation of the Hampton Archive, a collection of hundreds of Papuan objects assembled by Dr. O. W. Hampton in the 1980s and 1990s. This archive will be returned to Museum Loko Budaya in Paupua.
Speakers: Enrico Yory Kondologit (b.1981) is a Curator from the Loka Budaya Museum of Cendrawasih University, Jayapura. Kondologit is also a Lecturer and Researcher of Anthropology at the Universitas Cendrawasih. He was trained as an Anthropologist (Bachelor and Master) at Universitas Cendrawasih. Besides, he is also involved at the Indonesian Museum Association of Papua, as the Secretary.
Ajeng Ayu Arainikasih (b. 1983) is a lecturer in the Department of Archaeology at Universitas Indonesia in Jakarta. She specializes in Museum Studies and Colonial History/Archaeology. Trained as an archaeologist at Universitas Indonesia, she also earned her master’s degree in Art History Curatorial and Museum Studies from Adelaide University in Australia. Currently, she is pursuing her PhD at Universiteit Leiden in the Netherlands, focusing her research on the decolonization of Indonesian museums. Additionally, she is the founder and director of Museum Ceria, an independent creative consulting firm for museums based in Jakarta. Alongside her academic publications, she has documented her extensive travels, particularly her museum visits, in the #MuseumTravelogue book series.
Moderator: Sylvia Tiwon, Associate Professor & Chair of the Department of South and Southeast Asian Studies, UC Berkeley
“Representing Papua: Portrayal of Culture from Local, National, and Global Perspectives” is funded by the Asian Cultural Council, whose mission is to advance international dialogue, understanding, and respect through cultural exchange activities in Asia and the United States.
If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Alexandra Dalferro at adalferro@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days before the event.
Contact Info:
Access Coordinator:
Alexandra Dalferro, adalferro@berkeley.edu, 510-642-3609