Day of discovery at Museum

By Haruki Ume 24 March 2018, 12:00AM

The Museum of Samoa hosted a Museum Discovery Trip for local school children this week.

The discovery trip will continue until the first week of April. 

Senior Museum Officer, Ailini Ah Ken Eteuati said they mainly want to target primary school children.

The purpose of the event is to encourage students to develop an interest in Samoan culture and history. 

“We started this educational workshop programme in 2010,” Ailini said. 

“The museum will showcase many artifacts from more than 500 collections. The ground floor focuses on Samoan culture and exhibits traditional objects such as lapita potteries, traditional house (fale) model, traditional rowboat (va’a) models, fine mats, and tapa (siapo). “

“First floor focuses on modern history. There are a lot of panels which describe Samoan modern history deeply. Some of them are given by the Australian Museum and the Auckland War Memorial Museum. “

“On the wall of the stares there are historical pictures taken by photographers from New Zealand in early 1900s,” she added. 

Students and teachers were led through the different sections by the staff members of the museum. 

A history teacher, Peato Vailiko says: “The museum is a good place for students to learn their own history by the real objects. It motivates them to learn about the past.” 

Mark Benedict, a history student said: “We don’t only learn about history by looking in the textbook, but I can learn Samoan culture by looking at the exhibitions in here. It helps me understand Samoan culture more deeply.” 

A curator of the museum, Yuka Keino said they usually give out sheets of paper to students to encourage them to draw what their favourite displayed objects were. 

“I believe this work will help them to view exhibits more carefully. Moreover, it encourages students to explain what they feel and learn in the museum freely. It also tells us what they learn by this event. These pictures and comments are exhibited at the entrance,” Ms. Keino said. 

The museum holds another vocational workshop twice a year, which looks at teenagers learning about traditional textile. 

Ms Keino added they plan to start an exhibition on teachers dance group, “Ausiva a Faiaoga” this year. 

“This is one of the most important tasks for modern Samoans to understand our culture and history well and tell them to young generation. 

We provide information such as database materials to help your understanding. When you want to feel your roots or identity, please take time to visit the museum.”

By Haruki Ume 24 March 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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