AIGA - OUR JOURNEY

On Saturday 5 June 2021 we shared about A.I.G.A (Aotearoa Indigenous GLAM Association) here on our website.

Our announcement aligned with the end of Vaiaso o le Gagana Sāmoa - Sāmoa Language Week 2021 (30 May - 5 June 2021) that is celebrated annually in Aotearoa New Zealand. The theme for 2021 was “Popou le lotoifale. Ola manuia le anofale.” which translates to “Strengthen the posts of your fale, for all to thrive.” The literal reference to the importance of building a strong foundation and posts for a fale (house) can also symbolically refer to strengthening of our families, cultures and heritage.

Lagi-Maama are very excited to begin our A.I.G.A. initiative with Falemata’aga, Museum of Sāmoa to address the immediate needs identified by their current staff of three around conservation and collections management.

We developed a monthly series of ‘talanoa zoom sessions’ where we are truly humbled and grateful to collaborate with the following individuals and teams to share their knowledge, hearts and expertise around conservation and collections management.

• The first session was with Lagi-Maama (image on the right) to provide an overview of the programme developed for the team at Falemata’aga, Museum of Sāmoa and share some community engagement and curatorial insights.

• Followed by our amazing Conservator Nirmala Balram (currently Conservator Ethnographic Objects and Sculpture at Te Papa Museum) who has come on board as an independent to share her extensive conservation knowledge and experiences that are specifically relevant to islands nations.

• Our Collection Care team at Tāmaki Paenga Hira: Sabine Weik-Barton (Objects and Textiles Conservator) and Vasiti Palavi (Head of Collection Care) shared their knowledge and experiences of conservation and collection care.

• And this was followed by the lovely Ruby Satele (Collection Manager at Tāmaki Paenga Hira) who shared on her journey in the GLAM sector, her experience and insights on collections management and so much more.

We acknowledge these amazing individuals/teams who have come on board to gift monthly.

2022

In June AIGA was supported by our Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT) where we partnered with the amazing Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira where we have been able to bring the ‘four’ Falemata’aga staff to spend a week each at Tāmaki Paenga Hira.

We were also able to all spend one day in Te Whanganui-a-Tara visiting Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa | National Library of New Zealand. Huge mihi to Courtney Johnston and her team and Tim Kong and Suliana Vea.