Pasifika exhibitions have long been curated through a Western anthropological lens. Wansolmoana at Australian Museum is different: it’s curated by Pasifika staff, with contributions from a Pacific Island Curatorium and curatorial advisory group.

Wansolmoana – meaning “one salt ocean” – hopes to commemorate the culture, origins, ancestors, colonisation and the threats of climate change to the Pacific Islands. Featuring over 60,000 objects, Wansolmoana explores rich Pasifika traditions and histories, represents the Pasifika peoples’ response to climate change, and narrates stories of ancestors and colonisation in the region – including slave culture and ‘black-birding’.

At a panel discussion and walking tour with exhibition lead Melissa Malu, cultural producer and hip-hop artist MC Trey and moderator Matt Levinson, we learned about the process of curating Wansolmoana, the enduring resilience of Pasifika communities, and the importance of engaging communities in telling cultural stories. 

Speakers

Melissa Malu, Pasifika Collections & Engagements Manager, Australian Museum

Thelma Thomas aka MC Trey, Program Producer Pacific, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences and hip-hop artist

Matt Levinson, Director Corporate Communications, Committee for Sydney