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Solomon Islands National Museum

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328: 273:, which is the largest watercraft in the museum's collections. The canoe was built in 1910 by Jiosi Angele, who was commissioned to build it by a member of the colonial government. It was purchased in 1913 by William Lever, brought to the UK and subsequently donated to the British Museum. The museum and its academic partners invested in what was termed "digital repatriation" of the canoe, where the boat was scanned at a high resolution and the digital data transferred to the Solomon Islands. However, many places in the Pacific, including the Solomon Islands, do not have access to the same digital infrastructure as Europe. 316: 34: 196:
collection includes natural science specimens, archaeological artefacts and objects relating to the Second World War. It also holds marine and geological specimens. In 1972 the museum began to collect contemporary sculpture. In 1988 the museum collaborated with Osaka University to record and document music and dance traditions of the islands. In 2014 the museum hosted an exhibition to commemorate Australian South Sea Islanders who were ""black birded" to work in the sugar cane fields of Queensland and Northern New South Wales between 1863 and 1904".
340: 304: 168:, amongst others, who were interested in the material culture of the Solomon Islands and combined their private collections. The collections were exhibited in a number of locations in Honiara, including the Solomon Islands Teacher Training College, until the Gulbenkian Foundation funded the purpose-built museum. The new museum was organised by the Honiara Museum Association, which was mostly made up of expatriate colonial officers, however there was limited representation of the islanders from 260:
has many objects from the Solomon Islands in its collections, including a feast trough which was stolen in 1891 in a punitive expedition by Captain Edward Davis. Davis looted this and many other objects, later selling them in London; the British Museum has fifty objects it purchased from Davis in its
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The museum consists of a number of buildings, which each contain their own gallery, examining themes such as inter-island politics and Solomon Islands independence. The museum's compound also contains offices and an auditorium, with outdoor stage. The museum holds over two thousand objects and the
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Music and Dance of Aboriginal Australia and the South Pacific: The Effects of Documentation on the Living Tradition : Papers and Discussions of the Colloquium of the International Council for Traditional Music, Held in Townsville, Queensland, Australia,
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The museum has an active archaeological research programme. This has includes several research excavation on Santa Isabel, most recently in the 2010s in the Kia area. In 2016 the museum collaborated on a programme of archaeological excavation at Apunirereha,
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In A Pacific Odyssey: Archaeology and Anthropology in the Western Pacific. Papers in Honour of Jim Specht, ed. Val Attenbrow and Richard Fullagar, pp. 37–45. Records of the Australian Museum, Supplement 29. Sydney: Australian
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from 1999 to 2003, the museum continued to function, but was looted and many important cultural artefacts are lost: shell money valuables were removed for local use; other objects were sold to overseas collectors.
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Due to a legacy of colonial exploitation of the Solomon Islands, important objects reflecting the country's cultural heritage are held in foreign collections. Some of these institutions include:
1231: 327: 241:; In 2019 the British Museum opened a new display on the history of collecting in the Solomon Islands, which exhibited five objects with five different stories of acquisition. 1281: 606: 160:
The museum officially opened in June 1969. However, the museum was initiated in the 1951, when the islands were a British protectorate. The collection was formed by
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and at the time, the Solomon Islanders expressed a desire for its repatriation. Another highly significant object in the British Museum is a war canoe from
165: 339: 831: 865: 1271: 169: 1236: 288: 213:. The site is a rock shelter used by prehistoric people and has deposits which included faunal remains, stone tools, shells and human remains. 179:
In 1972 the museum became a government institution and expanded its site in Honiara, as well as expanding its activities to outlying islands.
1009:"Niabara - the Western Solomon Islands War Canoe at the British Museum - 3D Documentation, Virtual Reconstruction and Digital Repatriation" 789: 928: 879: 226: 1312: 1276: 1135: 1094: 765: 417: 566: 953: 722: 590: 449: 1028: 550: 487: 480: 1322: 1286: 614: 132: 413: 315: 1246: 1226: 1198: 1155: 1165: 539: 206: 1007:
Hess, Mona; Robson, Stuart; Millar, Francesca Simon; Were, Graeme; Hviding, Edvard; Berg, Arne Cato (September 2009).
1266: 1221: 176:. At this point Solomon Islanders began to donate some of their own items of cultural importance to the collection. 1261: 1241: 813: 1145: 607:"Solomon Islands Museum Prepares Archaeological Exhibition Of East ꞌAreꞌare Artifacts | Pacific Islands Report" 538:
Colloquium, International Council for Traditional Music; Music, International Council for Traditional (1992).
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Solomon Islands National Museum - MUSEUMS, CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT IN SOLOMON ISLANDS: HERITAGE MATTERS REPORT
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In 1973 the Solomon Islands Museum requested the return of a shell-inlaid shield and other items from the
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Ownership and a peripatetic collection: Raymond Firth’s Collection from Tikopia, Solomon Islands.
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Monument marking gift from Fiji on 35th anniversary of Solomon Islands independence
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solomons.gov.sb/ministry-of-culture-and-tourism/solomon-islands-national-museum
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Photo of Bishop John Selwyn, displayed at Solomon Islands National Museum
173: 659: 639: 836: 640:"Pacific islands' artefact collections: the UNESCO inventory project" 1013:
2009 15th International Conference on Virtual Systems and Multimedia
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Culture, Kastom, Tradition: Developing Cultural Policy in Melanesia
149: 52: 766:"Cane comb, Solomon Islands | Science Museum Group Collection" 152:. It is a department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. 954:"Counter-Narratives of Empire and the 'Oceania' Exhibition" 391:"Ministry of Culture and Tourism – My SIG Services Portal" 447: 724:
National Museums Scotland - Solomon Islands Collection
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collection. In 2018 the trough was displayed at the
448:Hazelgrove Planel, Lucie; Thomas, Nicholas (2018). 589:Carter, Melissa Jane, David Roe, and John Keopo. 473:Lindstrom, Lamont; White, Geoffrey Miles (1994). 1299: 1308:Buildings and structures in the Solomon Islands 537: 1102: 472: 367:"Commonwealth Walkway Trust – National Museum" 1088: 864:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( 637: 190: 1095: 1081: 32: 1015:. Vienna, Austria: IEEE. pp. 41–46. 698:"Fishhook (Solomon Islands), Before 1917" 830:Low, Bernard Lagan, Sydney | Valentine. 702:Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum 216: 1300: 1076: 1002: 1000: 998: 825: 823: 638:Specht, Jim; Bolton, Lissant (2005). 633: 631: 1051: 770:collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk 468: 466: 464: 443: 441: 439: 437: 435: 408: 406: 361: 359: 13: 995: 820: 720: 628: 599: 511:. MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM. 420:from the original on 15 April 2021 16:Museum in Honiara, Solomon Islands 14: 1334: 461: 432: 414:"Solomon Islands National Museum" 403: 356: 276: 338: 326: 314: 302: 1045: 971: 946: 921: 897: 872: 829: 806: 782: 758: 734: 714: 690: 666: 617:from the original on 2021-04-15 583: 505:Solomon Islands Museum Brochure 244: 142:Solomon Islands National Museum 26:Solomon Islands National Museum 20:Solomon Islands National Museum 1313:Museums in the Solomon Islands 1121:Federated States of Micronesia 594:Journal of Pacific Archaeology 559: 531: 515: 496: 383: 199: 144:is the national museum of the 1: 644:Journal of Museum Ethnography 350: 7: 1323:Museums established in 1969 678:Horniman Museum and Gardens 10: 1339: 1103:List of museums in Oceania 812:BONSHEK, ELIZABETH, 2004. 371:Commonwealth Walkway Trust 295: 235:Metropolitan Museum of Art 155: 1212: 1189: 1108: 1052:Hundleby, Irene Karongo. 231:National Museums Scotland 184:period of ethnic violence 128: 115: 105: 68: 58: 48: 40: 31: 24: 1272:Northern Mariana Islands 979:"canoe | British Museum" 545:. University of Sydney. 527:. Fine Arts Press. 1998. 191:Collections and research 1237:Cocos (Keeling) Islands 905:"bowl | British Museum" 884:www.theartnewspaper.com 742:"Shell Plaque (Barava)" 321:Honiara Open-Air Stage 1215:and other territories 162:Geoffrey F. C. Dennis 90:9.43111°S 159.95417°E 1021:10.1109/VSMM.2009.12 239:Science Museum Group 217:Overseas collections 524:Art and AsiaPacific 95:-9.43111; 159.95417 86: /  21: 983:The British Museum 909:The British Museum 596:3.2 (2012): 62-68. 265:in its exhibition 166:James L. O. Tedder 148:and is located in 19: 1295: 1294: 1287:Wallis and Futuna 1232:Clipperton Island 1190:Associated states 1030:978-0-7695-3790-0 886:. 14 January 2019 746:www.metmuseum.org 674:"Solomon Islands" 552:978-0-86758-575-9 489:978-982-02-0102-6 285:, former Director 283:Lawrence Foanaota 251:Australian Museum 138: 137: 1330: 1318:National museums 1277:Pitcairn Islands 1247:French Polynesia 1227:Christmas Island 1156:Papua New Guinea 1136:Marshall Islands 1109:Sovereign states 1097: 1090: 1083: 1074: 1073: 1068: 1067: 1065: 1064: 1049: 1043: 1042: 1004: 993: 992: 990: 989: 975: 969: 968: 966: 965: 958:History Workshop 950: 944: 943: 941: 940: 935:. 2 October 2018 925: 919: 918: 916: 915: 901: 895: 894: 892: 891: 876: 870: 869: 863: 855: 853: 852: 827: 818: 810: 804: 803: 801: 800: 794:SolomonTimes.com 786: 780: 779: 777: 776: 762: 756: 755: 753: 752: 738: 732: 731: 729: 718: 712: 711: 709: 708: 694: 688: 687: 685: 684: 670: 664: 663: 635: 626: 625: 623: 622: 611:www.pireport.org 603: 597: 587: 581: 580: 578: 577: 571:SolomonTimes.com 563: 557: 556: 535: 529: 528: 519: 513: 512: 510: 500: 494: 493: 470: 459: 458: 456: 445: 430: 429: 427: 425: 410: 401: 400: 398: 397: 387: 381: 380: 378: 377: 363: 342: 330: 318: 309:Compound of SINM 306: 211:Malaita Province 120: 101: 100: 98: 97: 96: 91: 87: 84: 83: 82: 79: 36: 22: 18: 1338: 1337: 1333: 1332: 1331: 1329: 1328: 1327: 1298: 1297: 1296: 1291: 1214: 1208: 1191: 1185: 1166:Solomon Islands 1104: 1101: 1071: 1062: 1060: 1050: 1046: 1031: 1005: 996: 987: 985: 977: 976: 972: 963: 961: 952: 951: 947: 938: 936: 927: 926: 922: 913: 911: 903: 902: 898: 889: 887: 878: 877: 873: 857: 856: 850: 848: 828: 821: 811: 807: 798: 796: 788: 787: 783: 774: 772: 764: 763: 759: 750: 748: 740: 739: 735: 727: 719: 715: 706: 704: 696: 695: 691: 682: 680: 672: 671: 667: 636: 629: 620: 618: 605: 604: 600: 588: 584: 575: 573: 565: 564: 560: 553: 536: 532: 521: 520: 516: 508: 502: 501: 497: 490: 471: 462: 454: 446: 433: 423: 421: 412: 411: 404: 395: 393: 389: 388: 384: 375: 373: 365: 364: 357: 353: 346: 343: 334: 331: 322: 319: 310: 307: 298: 279: 247: 223:Horniman Museum 219: 202: 193: 158: 146:Solomon Islands 121: 118: 108: 94: 92: 88: 85: 80: 77: 75: 73: 72: 27: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1336: 1326: 1325: 1320: 1315: 1310: 1293: 1292: 1290: 1289: 1284: 1279: 1274: 1269: 1267:Norfolk Island 1264: 1259: 1254: 1249: 1244: 1239: 1234: 1229: 1224: 1222:American Samoa 1218: 1216: 1210: 1209: 1207: 1206: 1201: 1195: 1193: 1192:of New Zealand 1187: 1186: 1184: 1183: 1178: 1173: 1168: 1163: 1158: 1153: 1148: 1143: 1138: 1133: 1128: 1123: 1118: 1112: 1110: 1106: 1105: 1100: 1099: 1092: 1085: 1077: 1070: 1069: 1044: 1029: 994: 970: 945: 920: 896: 871: 819: 805: 781: 757: 733: 713: 689: 665: 627: 598: 582: 558: 551: 530: 514: 495: 488: 460: 431: 402: 382: 354: 352: 349: 348: 347: 344: 337: 335: 332: 325: 323: 320: 313: 311: 308: 301: 297: 294: 293: 292: 286: 278: 277:Notable people 275: 258:British Museum 246: 243: 218: 215: 201: 198: 192: 189: 157: 154: 136: 135: 130: 126: 125: 122: 116: 113: 112: 109: 106: 103: 102: 70: 66: 65: 60: 56: 55: 50: 46: 45: 42: 38: 37: 29: 28: 25: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1335: 1324: 1321: 1319: 1316: 1314: 1311: 1309: 1306: 1305: 1303: 1288: 1285: 1283: 1280: 1278: 1275: 1273: 1270: 1268: 1265: 1263: 1262:New Caledonia 1260: 1258: 1255: 1253: 1250: 1248: 1245: 1243: 1242:Easter Island 1240: 1238: 1235: 1233: 1230: 1228: 1225: 1223: 1220: 1219: 1217: 1211: 1205: 1202: 1200: 1197: 1196: 1194: 1188: 1182: 1179: 1177: 1174: 1172: 1169: 1167: 1164: 1162: 1159: 1157: 1154: 1152: 1149: 1147: 1144: 1142: 1139: 1137: 1134: 1132: 1129: 1127: 1124: 1122: 1119: 1117: 1114: 1113: 1111: 1107: 1098: 1093: 1091: 1086: 1084: 1079: 1078: 1075: 1059: 1058:nomadit.co.uk 1055: 1048: 1040: 1036: 1032: 1026: 1022: 1018: 1014: 1010: 1003: 1001: 999: 984: 980: 974: 959: 955: 949: 934: 930: 924: 910: 906: 900: 885: 881: 875: 867: 861: 847: 843: 839: 838: 833: 826: 824: 815: 809: 795: 791: 785: 771: 767: 761: 747: 743: 737: 726: 725: 721:Haddow, Eve. 717: 703: 699: 693: 679: 675: 669: 661: 657: 653: 649: 646:(17): 58–74. 645: 641: 634: 632: 616: 612: 608: 602: 595: 592: 586: 572: 568: 562: 554: 548: 544: 543: 534: 526: 525: 518: 507: 506: 499: 491: 485: 481: 478: 477: 469: 467: 465: 453: 452: 444: 442: 440: 438: 436: 419: 415: 409: 407: 392: 386: 372: 368: 362: 360: 355: 341: 336: 329: 324: 317: 312: 305: 300: 299: 290: 287: 284: 281: 280: 274: 272: 271:Vella Lavella 268: 264: 263:Royal Academy 259: 254: 252: 242: 240: 236: 232: 228: 227:Cooper Hewitt 224: 214: 212: 208: 197: 188: 185: 180: 177: 175: 171: 170:Solomon Dakei 167: 163: 153: 151: 147: 143: 134: 131: 127: 123: 114: 110: 104: 99: 71: 67: 64: 61: 57: 54: 51: 47: 43: 39: 35: 30: 23: 1213:Dependencies 1199:Cook Islands 1061:. 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Index


Honiara
Governmental
9°25′52″S 159°57′15″E / 9.43111°S 159.95417°E / -9.43111; 159.95417
solomons.gov.sb/ministry-of-culture-and-tourism/solomon-islands-national-museum
Solomon Islands
Honiara
Geoffrey F. C. Dennis
James L. O. Tedder
Solomon Dakei
Silas Sitai
period of ethnic violence
East Are’Are
Malaita Province
Horniman Museum
Cooper Hewitt
National Museums Scotland
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Science Museum Group
Australian Museum
British Museum
Royal Academy
Vella Lavella
Lawrence Foanaota
Tony Heorake
Compound of SINM
Honiara Open-Air Stage
Monument marking gift from Fiji on 35th anniversary of Solomon Islands independence
Photo of Bishop John Selwyn, displayed at Solomon Islands National Museum

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