Part 1

• Deconstructing stereotypes: an exhibition narrative for new cultural perspectives Paolo Maiullari Museo delle Culture, Lugano

  Visiting an exhibition means relate to objects through a narrative filtered by the personality of a curator, the values of an institution, a disciplinary approach, a socio-cultural context, a historical time period. When it comes to ethnological museums, the narrative has to deal with two distinct categories of values: the distant values related to the original socio-cultural context of the objects on display; the near values belonging to the visual, ideological, and cultural experience of the viewer and – very often – the curator. This rise a main question which is seemingly simple but by no means obvious: what story is being told?

• The Simulacral Museum: The Case of Museum Pengkhianatan PKI (Komunis) Fiona Asokacitta University of Oxford

  Museum Pengkhianatan PKI (Komunis) [The Museum of the Indonesian Communist Party’s Treachery] also known as the Monumen Pancasila Sakti Museum [The Sacred Pancasila Museum] in Jakarta, Indonesia is a poignant example of how national museums and heritage sites are powerful tools in curating, maintaining, and enforcing the collective memories of their populace. One of the Cold War’s most violent atrocities began at the site, through a failed putsch by the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) to overthrow right-wing generals of the Indonesian Army. Long threatened by the PKI’s ascendancy, the Indonesian Army used the putsch as pretext to eliminate the PKI and establish the New Order authoritarian regime in Indonesia, headed by military general Suharto. The resulting propaganda campaign by Suharto’s regime resulted in the organised massacre of 500,000-1,000,000 people accused of being affiliated with the Communist party.

Part 2

• The Buffalo Hide Armour of the Tao as a Symbol of Precolonial Trading Relations between Lanyu (Taiwan) and the Batan islands (Philippines) Leberecht Funk Independent Scholar

  My paper focuses on a buffalo hide armour (pagad) from the Indigenous Tao people residing on Lanyu island, Taiwan, which is part of the Botel Tobago collections of the Ethnological Museum of Berlin since 1906. It is one of the few remaining objects that represent the precolonial sea trade and the marriage alliances between the Tao and the inhabitants of the northern-most Philippine Batan islands which ended abruptly some 250-300 years ago. While privately owned buffalo hide armours have been recorded for Lanyu (de Beauclair 1958), within Taiwanese government collections there exists only a single pagad today.

• The co-production and authenticity do matter in storytelling. A comparison study between Baba Nyoya Museum and Hakka Tin Miners Museum, Malaysia. Pek Yen Teh Sunway University

  What is a museum? How could a museum serve as a space for storytelling? And how can we relate the storytelling with the co-production process, including museum operation, management, artefact setting and interpretation, and engagement between tour guide and tourist response. Importantly, how we define the authenticity of the objects from the lens of curators and visitors. The aim of this study is to compare two different museums in Malaysia. The study underpins the process of co-production and the response from the visitors. The first museum located at George Town, Penang, is called Pinang Peranakan Mansion (thereafter PPM); meanwhile, Han Chin Pet Soo (thereafter HCPS) is the second museum that is situated in Ipoh, Perak. The rationale for choosing these two museums is that both critically project the respective destination’s identity and history yet carry very distinctive content and museum setting approaches. The study adopted a qualitative approach with triangulation data collection, including interviews with museum management and visitors, site visits, and observation.

• Exploring How Heritage Interpreters Acquire Knowledge to Elevate Their Storytelling Approach Khrisnamurti Khrisnamurti University of the West of Scotland

  Heritage interpreters, such as tour guides, museum educators, and docents, play a crucial role in bringing history to life by connecting the past with the present through storytelling. Heritage interpreter research has gained scholarly attention, focusing mainly on their performance and impact on visitor satisfaction. However, the process by which they acquire knowledge remains largely unexplored. This study aims to fill that gap by exploring the processes heritage interpreters in Indonesia use to gather, process, and share information, crafting stories that truly resonate with their audience. Through semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of interpreters, alongside insights from trainers and tourists, the research sheds light on the intricate art of storytelling within heritage interpretation. The findings highlight interpreters’ varied motivations—from passion and curiosity about their cultural heritage to a committed sense of care and professional responsibility. These motivations are key to their continuous pursuit of knowledge in crafting narratives. One of the key insights from the study is the interpreters’ adaptive transition from traditional printed materials to digital platforms, mirroring broader shifts in technology and information consumption. This evolution expands the interpreters’ toolkit, enabling them to draw from richer sources to enhance their storytelling. The importance of information validation is underscored, revealing interpreters’ strategies to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of their narratives, from rigorous cross-checking to consultations with credible sources. Furthermore, the research emphasises the interpreters’ knowledge acquisition methods, transitioning from formal training to a more collaborative approach by engaging in peer learning, interactive visitor engagement, and community integration.

• Vel Vel: Exploring Storytelling Approaches in Preserving Thaipusam Cultural Heritage in Singapore Laura Miotto Nanyang Technological University

  This paper delves into the ongoing Vel Vel project, which focuses on the significance and transmission of cultural heritage surrounding the Thaipusam festival in contemporary Singapore. Thaipusam holds immense cultural importance within the Tamil Hindu community in the City State, marked by vibrant processions featuring elaborate structures called kavadi. Through multiple iterations, the Vel Vel project explored sonic recordings and conversations on kavadi practices, highlighting its role as a mechanism for spiritual transformation and communal bonding. This exploration underscores the close-knit collaboration within the community and the symbiotic relationship between kavadi, dance, and music.
  Furthermore, the paper examines the role of digital archiving and museum practices, emphasizing how the combination of media can effectively contribute to preserving both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. By looking at the material and sonic culture of Thaipusam, Vel Vel also aims to shed light on innovative storytelling approaches that capture the essence of this dynamic tradition while also addressing the imperative of community involvement in cultural preservation endeavours. Using an interdisciplinary lens, this case study seeks to deepen our understanding of the complexities inherent in safeguarding cultural heritage.

Abstract