Both anthropologists and conservation scientists are fascinated by Oceanic barkcloth, or tapa, as it is known by its generic Polynesian term. Historic tapa designs are often living cultural heritage, but today’s objects also combine content, form and tradition in new ways and are intimately connected with the social and cultural identity of individuals, groups, and even nations. With tapa being completely alien to European traditions, conservation scientists are challenged by the material and its restoration and preservation. Questions of adequate presentation in exhibitions touch upon both disciplines, particularly when cultural requirements of the source communities come into play.
This volume brings together presentations given at an interdisciplinary symposium on the social and cultural meanings, conservation and presentation of Oceanic tapa, organised and hosted by the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum of World Cultures and the Institute of Conservation Sciences, Cologne, in 2014. By presenting new, international, cutting-edge research from both disciplines, Made in Oceania offers unique insights into current museum practice, and connects historical research with recent social and cultural developments in the Pacific.
