How do you co-create a place of belonging and leadership for diaspora communities?
That is what University of Washington Pacific Islander students set out to answer in 2013 under the guidance of Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture Curator for Oceanic and Asian Culture Dr. Holly Barker. Their inquiry led to the creation of Research Family, an interdisciplinary mentorship and community building program that connects interested students with the museum's cultural collections.
Centering Indigenous Oceanic knowledge, values, and languages in collections-based research, Research Family students engage their own community members to interpret cultural collections and facilitate intergenerational transfer of knowledge. The continued growth and success of the Research Family emerges from the work of Rachael Tamngin and the other student leaders who created a program by Pacific Islanders for Pacific Islanders. They have developed the methods and curriculum that serve as the foundation for the group’s work, welcoming students to connect with the collections and each other.
“The students were a tremendous joy to work with; insightful, inquisitive, helpful, but most importantly they were concerned and seriously took time to think about each moment we had looking at different artifacts in various stages and conditions,” said American Samoa based master siapo (bark cloth) maker Regina Meredith Fitiao, MFA.
In 2023, Research Family students went to Leone to work with Fitiao and Su'a Uilisone Fitiao, another master siapo maker. The two-week visit included visiting Jean P. Haydon Museum and Fa’asamoa Arts Studio & Gallery, where they worked on a project that involved making 30 large panels of handmade siapo.
“To be from Leone and having developed such a close relationship with Reggie (Fitiao) and Su’a (Ulisone Fitiao) ... with such expansive knowledge on not just Samoan siapo, but also various types of Tapa across the Pacific, tattooing, and carving, their presence brought Pacific collections to life,” said student Ario Galea’i Hopkinson.
Reggie and Su’a also visited Seattle to work with the students. “Bringing them here to the Burke Museum really brought forth the reciprocity that we prioritize within our Diasporic Oceania and Asias collections,” said student Toelau Ronalei Gasetoto.
Over the past three years, the Burke’s deep friendship and collaboration with Fitiao and Ulisone Fitiao has strengthened the University of Washington’s Pacific Islander students, Diasporic Oceania & Asias team, and the Heritage: Arts & Cultures collections. “My favorite project with Su’a and Regina was their review of a large donation to determine which belongings should stay in the museum for students and diaspora communities to access, and which were important to return “home” to inspire and support ongoing cultural practices, such as siapo making,” said Barker.
Over time, the program has expanded to include more Research Families. It now includes faculty and student-led collections-based research related to the Philippines, South Asia, and Nuclear Justice.
Bringing them here to the Burke Museum really brought forth the reciprocity that we prioritize within our Diasporic Oceania and Asias collections.
