BICULTURALISM AT OTAGO MUSEUM: A CASE STUDY by AVERY WAILES POVELITE UNDERWOOD Presented to the Arts and Administration Program in the School of Planning, Public Policy and Management of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Arts Management June 2018 © Avery Wailes Povelite Underwood 2018 ii Biculturalism at Otago Museum Approved by: David Turner, Research Advisor School of Planning, Public Policy and Management, University of Oregon Dr. Patricia Dewey Lambert, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in Arts Management; Director, Center for Community Arts and Cultural Policy School of Planning, Public Policy and Management, University of Oregon 2 Abstract and Keywords Abstract Otago Museum in Dunedin, New Zealand, is an institution in the beginning stages of a museum-wide shift towards biculturalism. Presently, the Museum largely operates under a western museology, and the shift to biculturalism means not only are objects and content interpreted in the traditional western style, but also with respect to the worldview and with the authority of the indigenous Māori people of New Zealand. A bicultural museum model decolonizes the museum institution by giving authority and agency back to indigenous peoples, creating a more comprehensive and inclusive museum. Approaching this research project with a framework of biculturalism and bicultural practices as detailed by Conal McCarthy in his 2011 Museums and Māori, this research intends to detail and better ​ ​ understand the current and future bicultural practices of Otago Museum through interviews with key staff members, observations of Otago Museum spaces, and analysis of the Museum’s documents. This research aims to provide a better understanding of the Museum’s bicultural practices and shift with the hope that the findings provide useful lessons for museums in the rest of New Zealand and the world. Keywords Biculturalism, New Zealand, Otago Museum, National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Māori museology, inclusive museology iv Acknowledgments I would like to thank Otago Museum and the University of Oregon for their support and guidance in this project. I would also like to thank my parents, family, friends, partner, and Tina Rinaldi, for encouraging me to pursue this degree and this project. Additionally, this project would not have been possible without the support of my cohort, the most rambunctious, crazy, intelligent, inspirational, talented people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. v CURRICULUM VITAE GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED University of Oregon, Eugene, OR Master of Science in Arts Management, June 2018 Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies, June 2018 University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, May 2015 Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, Minor in Art, Honors EXPERIENCE Otago Museum: Education and Public Programs Intern, July-Sept 2017 Developed, delivered, and evaluated programmes for the public, school visits, and school holidays. Managed museum venues. Scheduled staff and volunteers. Developed event run sheets and risk assessments. Managed communications with staff and public. Collaborated on budgeting and strategic event marketing. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art: Laurel Award Collections Intern, Sept. 2016-March 2018 Accurately and efficiently managed database, objects, and physical records. Digitised objects and museum marketing publications. Edited content for database and website. Worked independently and self-managed short and long term projects. Managed and trained volunteers and interns. Lane County Historical Museum: Exhibit Project Leader, Jan -March 2017 Led and coordinated several student teams to produce exhibit on local indigenous peoples. Created and managed exhibit timeline and budget, and distributed information and funds to teams. Assisted with visual layouts of objects and text panels. Coordinated exhibit opening events. Anchorage Museum: School Group Coordinator, Visitor Services Assistant, Northern Initiative Collections Intern, May 2014-Sept 2016 Developed, delivered, and evaluated educational programmes and tours. Coordinated school groups with event management software. Managed museum venues and scheduled staff and volunteers. Supervised all aspects of school visits, and developed run sheets and risk assessments. Selected and purchased jewellery and Native Alaskan art for the Store. Experienced in multiple databases for store inventory, collections, and membership. Milestone Designs: Co-founder, Designer, Jan 2014-present Manage jewellery business, including social media and print marketing, budgeting, and record management. Design and fabricate silver jewellery. Manage relationships with retail galleries and custom-order patrons. RESEARCH EXPERIENCE NAGPRA, Native Alaskan commingled remains: Identified ancestry and determined health, trauma, and pathology of commingled remains for repatriation by the Aleut Corporation, an Alaska Native organization vi “Bioarchaeology of French Polynesia”: Conducted bioarchaeological research on indigenous Marquesan remains to determine changes in health, trauma, and pathology over time. Traveled to the American Museum of Natural History to conduct research with an Honors College Research Travel Grant Bioarchaeology and Biological Anthropology laboratory: Discussed and practiced hands-on osteology methods & examined varied human remains using data collection sheets, packed and repacked artifacts GRANTS, AWARDS, AND HONORS PPPM Research Travel Grant (winter) 2017 PPPM Research Travel Grant (summer) 2017 Laurel Award 2016-2018 Community Service Scholarship 2015 Undergraduate Research Grant 2014 Alaska Performance Scholarship 2011-2015 Honors College Scholarship 2011-2015 vii Table of Contents Table of Contents ……………………………………………………………………….....i Copyright ………………………………………………………………………….……...ii Instructor approval …………………………………………………………………...…...iii Abstract and keywords……………………………………………………………………iv Acknowledgments……………………………………………………………….………...v CV…………………………………………………………………………………….......vi Table of Contents …………………………………………………………….…..……...viii Chapter 1: Introduction …………………………………………………………………....1 Biculturalism ………………………………………………………………………1 New Zealand museological context ……………………………………………….1 The importance of biculturalism in a global context ………………………………3 Otago Museum ……………………………………………………………………3 Conceptual framework ……………………………………………………………4 Benefits of this research …………………………………………………………...5 Researcher bias ……………………………………………………………………6 Chapter 2: Background ……………………………………………………………………7 Overview ……………………………………………………………………….....7 Literature review ………………………………………………………………..…7 Biculturalism ……………………………………………………………………....9 Terminology …………………………………………………….………………..10 Cultural climate of New Zealand ……………………………….………………...12 The National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa …….……………....14 Motivation for investigation …………………………………….………………...22 Chapter 3: Methods ………………………………………………………….…………...23 Research Methodology …………………………………………………………..23 Purpose statement ………………………………………………………..23 Methodological paradigm ………………………………………………..23 Role of the researcher ……………………………………………………23 Research question ………………………………………………………..24 Delimitations ……………………………………………………………..24 Limitations ……………………………………………………………….24 Context of Otago Museum ……………………………………………....25 Research Design …………………………………………………………………26 Research approach and dimensions ………………………………..…….26 Strategy of inquiry …………………………………………………….…26 Overview of research design …………………………………………….26 Research site selection …………………………………………...27 Participant selection ……………………………………………...27 Observations ……………………………………………………..28 Document analysis ……………………………………………….28 Counteracting against potential ethical issues ……….……………………28 Anticipated results ………………………………………….…………….29 Data Collection and Analysis Procedures ………………………………………..30 viii Overview ………………………………………………………………...30 Preliminary coding schemes and analysis procedures ……………………31 Strategies for validating findings …………………………………………31 Investigator experience ………………………………………………..…32 Chapter 4: Findings …………………………………………………………...…………33 Interviews ……………………………………………………………...………...33 Overview ……………………………………………………...…….…...33 Interview questions …………………………………………………....…34 The collective definition of biculturalism at Otago Museum ……………..34 Otago Museum’s shift ……………………………………………………36 Future of biculturalism at Otago Museum ………………………………..39 Observations ……………………………………………………………………..44 Overview ………………………………………………………………...44 Tūhura …………………………………………………………………...44 Tangata Whenua …………………………………………………………46 Other regions of Otago Museum ………………………………………...47 Document analysis ……………………………………………………………….49 Overview ………………………………………………………………...49 Chapter 5: Conclusions …………………………………………………………………..57 Overview ………………………………………………………...………………57 Findings …………………………………………………………...…………......57 Recommendations for Otago Museum …………………………………………..60 Recommendations for museums outside New Zealand ………………………….64 Conclusions ……………………………………………………………………...66 APPENDIX A: Conceptual framework schematic ………………………………………68 APPENDIX B Data collection schematic ……………………………………………….69 APPENDIX C Research instruments ..……………………………………………….….70 APPENDIX D Consent form .………………………………………………….………..74 Glossary ………………………………………………………………………………….78 References ……………………………………………………………….……………….81 ix Chapter 1: Introduction Biculturalism The museological practice of biculturalism as it is practiced in New Zealand was born from a Māori cultural renaissance that began in the 1980s, combined