Tupaia and the Heva Tupapa'u: voyages past, present and future
Resource type
Book chapter
Creator (person)
Reynolds, Pauline
Adams, Julie
Date published
2023
Abstract
Centring priest and navigator Tupaia and Pacific worldviews, this richly illustrated volume weaves a new set of cultural histories in the Pacific, between local islanders and the crew of the Endeavour on James Cook's first 'voyage of discovery' (1768-1771). Contributors consider material collections brought back from the voyage, paying particular attention to Tupaia's drawings, maps, cloth and clothes, and the attending narratives that framed Britain's engagement with Pacific peoples. Bringing together indigenous and Pacific-based artists, scholars, historians, theorists and tailors, this book presents a cross-cultural conversation around the concepts of acquired and curated artefacts that traversed oceans and entwined cultures. Each chapter draws attention to a particular material, object or process to reveal fresh insights on the voyage, the societies it brought together and the histories it transformed. Authors also explore animal iconography, instruments and ethnomusicology, and performances and rituals. This work challenges colonial museum collections and celebrations of Cook's voyages, using materials old and new to make connections between past and present, whilst reinforcing Tupaia's agency as both a historical figure and a contemporary muse. Tracing overlapping folds of symbolism, this book draws together a picture of the diverse materials and people at the centre of cultural exchange.
This chapter moves between London and Tahiti to consider the significance of the Heva Tupapa'u to people in the past and present.
Book title
Tupaia, Captain Cook and the Voyage of the Endeavour
Editor
von Zinnenburg Carroll, Khadija
Pagination
31-45
Publisher
Bloomsbury
Place of publication
London
Keywords