Aotearoa New Zealand has a diverse population, resulting from many different stories of migration and identity. This diversity is particularly evident within the Auckland region. Issues such as identity, social relations and social context will be explored, along with how objects are used to understand the past, their meaning and how they influence current cultural perceptions. This theme will encompass research into the human population of Aotearoa New Zealand, focusing primarily on the Auckland region, and how this has influenced the evolution of identities, cultures, lifestyles and everyday experiences of contemporary New Zealanders, at home, at work and in the community. Through this research, Auckland Museum will contribute to positive health, well-being and societal outcomes.
Objectives
• Research, document and interpret events and socio-political and socioeconomic issues that have shaped and continue to shape society and communities within the Auckland region
• Actively explore how the role of geographical and genealogical connections in the regional Pacific area is shaping cultural identities, as well as our role in shaping cultural identities in the Pacific region
• Carry out research into the social history and development of communities within our society through material culture
• Undertake research on significant Auckland Museum collectors, collecting practices, collecting policies, as well as the makers, artists, photographers, writers, techniques and methods that are represented within the collections, reframing Auckland Museum as a site of investigation