Hoarding New Guinea
Writing Colonial Ethnographic Collection Histories for Postcolonial Futures
By Rainer F. Buschmann | Publisher: Nebraska
About the book
Hoarding New Guinea provides a new cultural history of colonialism that pays close attention to the millions of Indigenous artifacts that serve as witnesses to Europe’s colonial past in ethnographic museums. Rainer F. Buschmann investigates the roughly two hundred thousand artifacts extracted from the colony of German New Guinea from 1870 to 1920. Reversing the typical trajectories that place ethnographic museums at the center of the analysis, he concludes that museum interests in material culture alone cannot account for the large quantities of extracted artifacts.
Buschmann moves beyond the easy definition of artifacts as trophies of colonial defeat or religious conversion, instead employing the term hoarding to describe the irrational amassing of Indigenous artifacts by European colonial residents. Buschmann also highlights Indigenous material culture as a bargaining chip for its producers to engage with the imposed colonial regime. In addition, by centering an area of collection rather than an institution, he opens new areas of investigation that include non-professional ethnographic collectors and a sustained rather than superficial consideration of Indigenous peoples as producers behind the material culture. Hoarding New Guinea answers the call for a more significant historical focus on colonial ethnographic collections in European museums.
Editions of Hoarding New Guinea
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781496234643
- EBook
- ISBN 9781496236579
- EBook
- ISBN 9781496236562
Read an Excerpt
Hoarding New Guinea provides a new cultural history of colonialism that pays close attention to the millions of Indigenous artifacts that serve as witnesses to Europe’s colonial past in ethnographic museums. Rainer F. Buschmann investigates the roughly two hundred thousand artifacts extracted from the colony of German New Guinea from 1870 to 1920. Reversing the typical trajectories that place ethnographic museums at the center of the analysis, he concludes that museum interests in material culture alone cannot account for the large quantities of extracted artifacts.
Buschmann moves beyond the easy definition of artifacts as trophies of colonial defeat or religious conversion, instead employing the term hoarding to describe the irrational amassing of Indigenous artifacts by European colonial residents. Buschmann also highlights Indigenous material culture as a bargaining chip for its producers to engage with the imposed colonial regime. In addition, by centering an area of collection rather than an institution, he opens new areas of investigation that include non-professional ethnographic collectors and a sustained rather than superficial consideration of Indigenous peoples as producers behind the material culture. Hoarding New Guinea answers the call for a more significant historical focus on colonial ethnographic collections in European museums.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hoarding New Guinea about?
Hoarding New Guinea provides a new cultural history of colonialism that pays close attention to the millions of Indigenous artifacts that serve as witnesses to Europe’s colonial past in ethnographic museums. Rainer F. Buschmann investigates the roughly two hundred thousand artifacts extracted from the colony of German New Guinea from 1870 to 1920. Reversing the typical trajectories that place ethnographic museums at the center of the analysis, he concludes that museum interests in material culture alone cannot account for the large quantities of extracted artifacts.
Buschmann moves beyond the easy definition of artifacts as trophies of colonial defeat or religious conversion, instead employing the term hoarding to describe the irrational amassing of Indigenous artifacts by European colonial residents. Buschmann also highlights Indigenous material culture as a bargaining chip for its producers to engage with the imposed colonial regime. In addition, by centering an area of collection rather than an institution, he opens new areas of investigation that include non-professional ethnographic collectors and a sustained rather than superficial consideration of Indigenous peoples as producers behind the material culture. Hoarding New Guinea answers the call for a more significant historical focus on colonial ethnographic collections in European museums.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Hoarding New Guinea?
Society and Social Sciences > Sociology and anthropology > Anthropology
Where can I read a sample of Hoarding New Guinea?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781496234643
Is Hoarding New Guinea part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Critical Studies in the History of Anthropology
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Hoarding New Guinea?
Rainer F. Buschmann
Who is the Publisher of the book Hoarding New Guinea?
Nebraska
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Hoarding New Guinea is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781496234643) and ebook(ISBN 9781496236579) and ebook(ISBN 9781496236562)
Where can I buy Hoarding New Guinea online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Hoarding New Guinea from below
Where can I buy Hoarding New Guinea?