scholarly journals Remnant of the Past? An Investigation into the Past, Present and Future Role of Archaeology in New Zealand Museums

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Brenden Shirley
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Cultural Landscapes ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Personal Connection ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
The Past ◽  
Physical Context ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Cultural Agency

<p>Museum archaeology is a subject that has received little attention from local academics and museum professionals. This is despite the fact that it continues to be perceived as a foreign subject that most New Zealanders find difficult to relate to. This dissertation takes an exploratory approach in understanding what has to be considered in future efforts to connect museums and their wider communities with archaeology. Rather than reiterating what the literature has previously confirmed, this research examines the perspective of archaeological interpreters, namely museum and heritage professionals. This provides an avenue for examining how archaeological content is perceived by museums, how this can be conveyed to the public and its potential benefits and limitations.  This research was developed around a qualitative methodology that collated data from interviews with practitioners from a range of backgrounds: archaeologists, museum curators, heritage site mangers and Maori studies. An examination of some of the educational programs and resources currently provided by New Zealand museums and heritage sites was undertaken to recognise opportunities already established. A critical observation of exhibition practice provided additional insight into the physical context of archaeological interpretation and display methods.  Key findings from this research found that many of the issues and opportunities are interrelated and not always exclusive to archaeology. Museums are continuing to move away from specialised curation and instead, favouring the development of multidisciplinary, thematic narratives. As a result, they now rely on the support of outside institutions and consultants to provide this perspective. The dissertation concludes by arguing for a multidisciplinary framework where subjects like archaeology recognise the museum’s potential as a hub for providing relatable experiences across the various disciplinary perspectives available and as an opportunity to promote and the wider exploration of cultural landscapes in their region. This research makes a contribution to the academic analysis of museum and archaeology in New Zealand by encouraging a more inclusive dialogue around the role museums can play in the future of public archaeology. Engagement within the wider heritage and indigenous communities is required to establish a greater level of cultural agency and awareness for these issues and allows for further involvement in site management and cultural interpretations This can ultimately produce a more personal connection and understanding of archaeology in general.</p>

scholarly journals Remnant of the Past? An Investigation into the Past, Present and Future Role of Archaeology in New Zealand Museums

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Brenden Shirley
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Cultural Landscapes ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Personal Connection ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
The Past ◽  
Physical Context ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Cultural Agency

<p>Museum archaeology is a subject that has received little attention from local academics and museum professionals. This is despite the fact that it continues to be perceived as a foreign subject that most New Zealanders find difficult to relate to. This dissertation takes an exploratory approach in understanding what has to be considered in future efforts to connect museums and their wider communities with archaeology. Rather than reiterating what the literature has previously confirmed, this research examines the perspective of archaeological interpreters, namely museum and heritage professionals. This provides an avenue for examining how archaeological content is perceived by museums, how this can be conveyed to the public and its potential benefits and limitations.  This research was developed around a qualitative methodology that collated data from interviews with practitioners from a range of backgrounds: archaeologists, museum curators, heritage site mangers and Maori studies. An examination of some of the educational programs and resources currently provided by New Zealand museums and heritage sites was undertaken to recognise opportunities already established. A critical observation of exhibition practice provided additional insight into the physical context of archaeological interpretation and display methods.  Key findings from this research found that many of the issues and opportunities are interrelated and not always exclusive to archaeology. Museums are continuing to move away from specialised curation and instead, favouring the development of multidisciplinary, thematic narratives. As a result, they now rely on the support of outside institutions and consultants to provide this perspective. The dissertation concludes by arguing for a multidisciplinary framework where subjects like archaeology recognise the museum’s potential as a hub for providing relatable experiences across the various disciplinary perspectives available and as an opportunity to promote and the wider exploration of cultural landscapes in their region. This research makes a contribution to the academic analysis of museum and archaeology in New Zealand by encouraging a more inclusive dialogue around the role museums can play in the future of public archaeology. Engagement within the wider heritage and indigenous communities is required to establish a greater level of cultural agency and awareness for these issues and allows for further involvement in site management and cultural interpretations This can ultimately produce a more personal connection and understanding of archaeology in general.</p>

scholarly journals Seeing Eye to Eye? The presentation and understanding of interpretation at a New Zealand heritage site

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elise Caddigan
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Visitor Satisfaction ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Perception Of Quality ◽  
A Site ◽  
International Visitors

<p>Old St Paul’s is an iconic New Zealand heritage site managed by Heritage New Zealand.¹ It is a site that tells both national and local stories and draws a wide range of international and domestic visitors. Key recommendations made by the New Zealand Ministry of Tourism in their 2010 and 2015 strategies were that the country is no longer automatically perceived as ‘authentic’² by international visitors, and that heritage in New Zealand should be striving to deliver engaging, educational and rich cultural and social experiences.  Using Old St. Paul’s as a case study, this research asks if New Zealand heritage sites are providing exhibitions, interpretation and stories that successfully communicate the site management’s presentation goals to visitors. This relationship is evaluated through the exhibitions and interpretation used by site management, and compared with visitor understanding and their experience of these.  This research uses interviews and visitor surveys to gauge the management/visitor relationship at Old St. Paul’s. An in-depth interview with the site’s manager is analysed and presented comparatively against the results gained from conducting visitor surveys. This research provides an investigation into contemporary heritage practice in New Zealand and offers a pilot study for future development in the heritage sector. Furthermore, it is suggested that heritage sites could adopt similar summative practices to those used in the museum sector in order to monitor visitor satisfaction and the perception of quality.</p>

scholarly journals Using open spatial data to investigate the importance of salmon streams in the Indigenous cultural landscapes of Southwest Alaska.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan S. Lim ◽  
Gonzalo José Linares Matás
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Data ◽  
Cultural Landscape ◽  
Cultural Landscapes ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Site Distribution ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Cultural Sites ◽  
Native Alaskans ◽  
History Of

The history of human activity in Southwest Alaska is inextricably linked to the exploitation of its many species of salmonid fish. Alaskan salmonids are anadromous, meaning they live most of their lives at sea, only to return to the river in which they were spawned to reproduce— this makes them a reliable seasonal resource in this environmentally marginal subarctic landscape. Salmonids form a major part of the subsistence lifestyle of modern Native Alaskans, and archaeological evidence suggests that their ancestors experienced population booms and cultural shifts coinciding with the adoption of mass fishing techniques. This was done primarily in response to climate changes, and to sustain burgeoning populations. Analyses of salmonid behavioural patterns are therefore crucial for understanding the lifeways of past peoples in Southwest Alaska. This work outlines a GIS-based methodology for processing an open spatial dataset— the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Anadromous Waters Catalog (AWC)— to make it suitable for use in archaeological and anthropological research. AWC shapefiles converted in this manner may be used to identify the most ecologically diverse (and, therefore, productive) anadromous waterways, and the relationship between heritage site distribution and salmon activity along the length of rivers. As a pilot study, we discuss the cultural landscape of the Yup’ik community of Quinhagak in the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) Delta, and its two active salmon streams— the Agalig (Arolik) and Qanirtuuq (Kanektok) Rivers. There appears to be a strong relationship between the presence of cultural sites associated with fishing (both historic and archaeological) near the mouths of both rivers where the salmon runs begin (the “initial lower course”, or, “ILC”). It also highlights the importance of such rivers as highways to access non-salmonid resources further inland, including hunting and plant harvesting areas. This methodology has a strong potential for assisting in the survey and characterisation of heritage sites elsewhere in Southwest Alaska.

scholarly journals Comparative analysis of information tendency and application features for projection mapping technologies at cultural heritage sites

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hengyi Li ◽  
Hiromu Ito
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Interactive Technologies ◽  
Projection Mapping ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
The Past ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Information Characteristics ◽  
Digital Projection ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractWith the rapid development of interactive technologies using projection mapping (PJM), these digital technologies have introduced new interpretative possibilities for the presentation of cultural heritage sites. PJM attracts more visitors with greater expectations to cultural heritage sites through its excellent visual effects and guidance capabilities. In the past decade, especially after 2015, design events have frequently introduced digital projections to cultural heritage sightseeing spots worldwide. However, this trend has also led to the emergence of many digital projection events that merely exhibit beautiful projection effects on buildings and neglect to show the history and value of the cultural heritage site. Based on this phenomenon, this study compiled and analyzed 45 related cases of PJM applications at cultural heritage sites around the world from the past 5 years. These 45 examples were studied by disassembling the projection content, analyzing the information characteristics exhibited in each projection video, and arranging the obtained data on a timeline chart for analysis. According to the data, two information characteristics of PJM at cultural heritage sites can be observed: “the relationship between projection content and heritage” and “information tendency.” The advantages and limitations of these characteristics were distinguished and suggestions for the application of PJM on cultural heritage sites were derived. These results can be used as a reference for other research studies on visitors to cultural heritage sites and improving digital interpretation and presentation designs.

scholarly journals Cultural Landscapes in the Asia-Pacific: Re-focusing UNESCO Designation on Community Participation

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 271
Author(s):  
Wiwik Dharmiasih
Keyword(s):  
Community Participation ◽  
Cultural Landscape ◽  
Cultural Landscapes ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Universal Values ◽  
New Institutions ◽  
Generational Transition

World Heritage Sites, designated by UNESCO, are a growing phenomenon in global governance. Sites are nominated for their Outstanding Universal Values with the objective of protecting against potential threats from man-made or natural causes. This article focuses on one type of recognition, the Cultural Landscape, which is unique because it is a living heritage site. Within Cultural Landscapes, people continue to carry out their lives and livelihoods as part of the site. The aim of this article is to examine the way community participation takes place in the designation of Cultural Landscapes. Findings highlight some ideas for researchers and policymakers to re-examine blind spots relative to community participation and offer some considerations for more meaningfully engaging local voices, particularly with respect to vulnerable populations and generational transition. Overall, research on Cultural Landscapes need not only examine what is being protected, but also must explore the new institutions being established, which can transform sites from within.

scholarly journals Multi-risk analysis on European cultural and natural UNESCO heritage sites

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Valagussa ◽  
Paolo Frattini ◽  
Giovanni Crosta ◽  
Daniele Spizzichino ◽  
Gabriele Leoni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Cultural Landscapes ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
World Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Potential Damage ◽  
Cultural Routes

AbstractA multi-criteria risk analysis to identify and to rank the most critical UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHSs) in Europe was implemented in the framework of the JPI-CH PROTHEGO project. The presented approach considers three natural geo-hazards (i.e. landsliding, seismic shaking and volcanic activity) for which homogenous European hazard maps are available. The methodology is based on a quantitative and reproducible heuristic assessment of risk through the development of a new UNESCO Risk Index (URI), which combines the level of hazard with a potential damage vector. The latter expresses the expected level of damage as a function of the type of heritage site (monuments, cultural routes, rock-art sites, cultural landscapes, earthworks/hominid sites, walls and natural sites), the position with respect to the ground (underground or overground) and the hazard type. The methodology was applied both to the entire WHS site and to the different properties that compose the site, with the purpose of identifying areas, inside the same site, with different level of risk. At European scale, the spatial distribution of risk reflects the fact that only three hazards were implemented in the analysis so far, with highest values in the Mediterranean area due to the importance of seismic hazard.

scholarly journals Commemorative Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand: Exploring the bicentennial and sestercentennial of the Endeavour's arrival in Gisborne and Tairāwhiti

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Rebecca Nuttall
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Institutional Practices ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Continuity And Change ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Meaningful Experiences ◽  
Constructing Meaning

<p>In the midst of commemoration programmes for the centenary of the First World War, academic literature about and interest in the topic of commemoration has grown significantly. While studies in the UK and America focus on the use of the past and commemoration, there is little work on commemorative practice within a New Zealand context, particularly over a period of time. As museums and heritage sites increasingly look to new ways of making meaningful experiences for a diverse and changing public, this research seeks to address the gap in the literature and help to inform future management of commemoration in New Zealand.  With the sestercentennial of the 1769 arrival of the Endeavour to New Zealand coming up in 2019, this research involved case studies of the earlier bicentennial in 1969 and the planning stages of the future commemoration in both Gisborne (the site of Lieutenant James Cook’s first landing) and Wellington. The methods employed for this dissertation comprised archival and documentary research, as well as interviews with professionals involved in the sestercentennial. Using a theoretical framework based in museum and heritage studies, as well as history, sociology and cultural studies this study considers the many ways we use the past, from institutional practices to vernacular interests.  The findings revealed that in 1969 commemorations in Gisborne were a spectacle, a true performance. Depictions of Cook were everywhere and monuments were erected all around the city. From pageantry to legacy building, the 2019 focus is on educating the public and establishing meaningful legacies for the future. This dissertation concludes that commemoration should not be treated as a one-off event but rather as an ongoing practice that is shaped by the past and by social and political contexts as much as we are. I argue that the three most important, yet also most changeable, elements of commemoration are narrative, approach to management (top-down and/or bottom-up), and participation. It is common for some to want to ‘look forward’ rather than to the past to inform commemorative planning. However, I argue that more can be gained by consciously seeing the continuity and change of commemorative practice through time. By looking at commemorations in the past and plans for the future this research furthers our understanding of the practice and its role in constructing meaning.</p>

scholarly journals Heritage Tourism in Japan and Nepal : A Study of Shikoku and Lumbini

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-36
Author(s):  
Him Lal Ghimire
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Japanese Culture ◽  
Cultural Resources ◽  
Collective Memories ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
The Past ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
The World ◽  
World Cultural Heritage ◽  
Economic Vitality

Tourism, the world’s largest industry, is essential to a community’s economic vitality, sustainability and profitability. The word ‘heritage’ in its broader meaning is frequently associated with the word ‘inheritance’, that is, something transferred from one generation to another. Heritage might look old-after all, the language of heritage focuses on preservation, revitalization, and restoration-but closer inspection usually reveals contemporary concerns. Heritage is the symbolic embodiment of the past, reconstructed and reinterpreted in the collective memories and traditions of contemporary societies rather than being perceived as a mere apotheosis of bygone times. It is concerned with exploring both tangible and intangible remnants of the past. Important criterion for a designation as a World Cultural Heritage site is the ‘‘authenticity’’ and ‘‘sincerity’’ of a candidate site. The heritage sites are the most susceptible and vulnerable sectors. A large number of significant heritage sites around the world are fragile properties, and they are faced with different challenges. Both Japan and Nepal is home to a variety of frequently occurring disasters, which can cause wide-ranging damage to its cultural resources. Japan and Nepal’s remarkable heritage is not only part of what makes both the countries a popular travel destination, but also something that needs to be properly protected, maintained and preserved, so that future generations can enjoy it as much as we do today. It has been interesting lesson to rest of the world that how Japan has been mitigating and surviving with large scale disasters. The Japanese culture, tradition and technology must have been playing significant role for this. The learning from Japan could be instrumental to manage, rebuild and develop heritage sites and tourism in Nepal. This article is the partial outcome of my Postdoctoral research in Japan.

scholarly journals Commemorative Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand: Exploring the bicentennial and sestercentennial of the Endeavour's arrival in Gisborne and Tairāwhiti

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Rebecca Nuttall
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Institutional Practices ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Continuity And Change ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Meaningful Experiences ◽  
Constructing Meaning

<p>In the midst of commemoration programmes for the centenary of the First World War, academic literature about and interest in the topic of commemoration has grown significantly. While studies in the UK and America focus on the use of the past and commemoration, there is little work on commemorative practice within a New Zealand context, particularly over a period of time. As museums and heritage sites increasingly look to new ways of making meaningful experiences for a diverse and changing public, this research seeks to address the gap in the literature and help to inform future management of commemoration in New Zealand.  With the sestercentennial of the 1769 arrival of the Endeavour to New Zealand coming up in 2019, this research involved case studies of the earlier bicentennial in 1969 and the planning stages of the future commemoration in both Gisborne (the site of Lieutenant James Cook’s first landing) and Wellington. The methods employed for this dissertation comprised archival and documentary research, as well as interviews with professionals involved in the sestercentennial. Using a theoretical framework based in museum and heritage studies, as well as history, sociology and cultural studies this study considers the many ways we use the past, from institutional practices to vernacular interests.  The findings revealed that in 1969 commemorations in Gisborne were a spectacle, a true performance. Depictions of Cook were everywhere and monuments were erected all around the city. From pageantry to legacy building, the 2019 focus is on educating the public and establishing meaningful legacies for the future. This dissertation concludes that commemoration should not be treated as a one-off event but rather as an ongoing practice that is shaped by the past and by social and political contexts as much as we are. I argue that the three most important, yet also most changeable, elements of commemoration are narrative, approach to management (top-down and/or bottom-up), and participation. It is common for some to want to ‘look forward’ rather than to the past to inform commemorative planning. However, I argue that more can be gained by consciously seeing the continuity and change of commemorative practice through time. By looking at commemorations in the past and plans for the future this research furthers our understanding of the practice and its role in constructing meaning.</p>

Personalizing the Past: A Review of Literature with Implications for Historical Interpretation

1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lois H. Silverman
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Historical Interpretation ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
The Past ◽  
Social Nature ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Past Experiences ◽  
And Behavior

The recent perspective known as meaning-making has advanced the belief that understanding interpretive site visitors’ frameworks and past experiences is critical to successful interpretation. How, then, do visitors make meaning of heritage site experiences and of the past in general? This review examines and synthesizes recent studies and considers their contribution to the theory and practice of historical interpretation. In sum, research suggests three major realms of experience from which visitors draw schemata that inform meaning–making at heritage sites: (a) associations with and knowledge of history, (b) experiences and behavior regarding the past in everyday life, and (c) expectations of and behavior at heritage sites. Using this literature as groundwork, three strategies for empirically driven historical interpretation are presented: (a) addressing the nature of history and visitors’ associations, (b) incorporating everyday life behaviors, and (c) interpreting for the social nature of the heritage site visit.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document