For decades, Pacific Islanders’ voices were often missing in the museums that displayed their heritage and now all that will change with the launch of the Sea of Islands.
Canadian Museum Professional, Curator and Educator, Dr Carol Mayer says that this new book is changing that narrative, putting the people themselves in control of how their stories and objects are shared.
She further says the collection include Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Rapa Nui, the Marquesas, Australia, and Aotearoa, capturing the rich diversity of the Pacific.
What sets this book apart is its unique approach: every object, every story, was chosen by the communities, not the curator.
She says the selections reflect on history, culture, and voices.
She adds that readers can expect a mosaic of stories, from shipwrecked objects that journeyed across oceans to tales of reconciliation, advocacy, and climate change.
There are also stories about family, elders, knowledge keepers, and navigation, each offering a unique window into Pacific life.
Dr Mayer emphasizes the importance of youth engagement, and the museums provide programs that allow young people to learn about and take ownership of their culture, from traditional objects to environmental projects like ghost nets in the Torres Strait.
She says that the youth are incredibly strong, and when they step in, they speak up, advocate, and connect with their history in deeply meaningful ways.
She highlights for students and readers, the book is not just a collection to admire but a conversation starter and in the Fijian section, for instance, reflects choices made by Fijians themselves, offering a space for dialogue, critique, and cultural pride.
Dr Mayer says that this is about seeing our heritage through our own eyes, not through a colonial lens, and it’s about understanding that our history, our objects, our stories are alive today, and they belong to us.
