Kanak Objects as Ambassadors: Representation, Repatriation, and Identity Politics in Question

Gallarini, Carolina (2024) Kanak Objects as Ambassadors: Representation, Repatriation, and Identity Politics in Question. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

This thesis examines the complex role of Kanak cultural objects as Ambassadors within the realms of representation, repatriation, and identity politics. Grounded in historical analysis and contemporary ethnographic research, it explores how these objects are positioned in global and local narratives, influencing and being influenced by decolonisation efforts.

The first section provides a historical framework for understanding the relationship between Kanak objects and cultural diplomacy. It traces the impact of European colonisation on Kanak society, culture, and identity through the analysis of colonial records, missionary accounts, and early ethnographies. The enduring legacy of these colonial perspectives is explored through early museological representations of Kanak culture. The concept of Kanak Objects as Ambassadors is critically examined, focusing on how these objects serve as symbols of resistance and tools for reclaiming identity in postcolonial contexts, even while remaining in museums abroad.

The second section shifts to contemporary ethnographic work in Kanaky, exploring the lived experiences of Kanak communities and their interactions with cultural institutions. It highlights how Kanak objects are curated and interpreted both locally and internationally, engaging with Kanak voices to understand the politics of heritage and repatriation. Interviews and participant observation reveal how Kanak artists and communities navigate heritage preservation and cultural narratives.

The final chapters incorporate the political unrest in Kanaky beginning in May 2024, using contemporary Kanak art as a lens to explore identity and resistance. The thesis argues that Kanak art, far from being composed by static relics, are dynamic agents of cultural reclamation and identity formation, with Kanak art playing a central role in the contemporary fight for decolonisation.

Keywords: Kanak Identity, Decolonisation, Cultural Heritage, Kanak Art, Repatriation, Ethnography, Objects as Ambassadors, Museology, Contemporary Kanak Artists, Post-Colonial Politics.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of History
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	24 Nov 2025 10:56
Last Modified:	24 Nov 2025 10:56
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/101085
DOI:

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