DaNCe PROTeST: PROJeCT BaNaBa – CHaU CHaK WING MUSeUM

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Inspired by research in the Chau Chak Wing Museum archives and collections, Katerina Teaiwa presents new work exploring Banaban dance as a form of protest.

Mungari

Dance Protest: Project Banaba is the latest in an exhibition series by artist Katerina Teaiwa and curator Yuki Kihara, exploring the history of Banaba, an island in the central Pacific.

In the 20th century, the British Phosphate Commissioners, a partnership between the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, mined 22 million tons of phosphate from the island. In 1945, Banabans endured forced relocation to Rabi Island, Fiji.

Expressing their identity and resistance to this colonial project, Banabans revitalised their song and dance repertoires. In the 1970s, when they sued the British government and company for the decimation of their island, dancers led the protest marches that accompanied the legal proceedings.

Chau Chau Wing Museum

Art, science, history and ancient cultures The Chau Chak Wing Museum brings three powerful collections to a stunning, purpose-built space at the University of Sydney. Located in the heart of the University of Sydney, the Chau Chak Wing Museum was designed to share the University of Sydney’s vast collections with the broader community.