Arts of Oceania

Ceremonial house sculptures, dance masks, feather adornments, canoes and prestige weapons have always had a social or religious use. Many objects were destroyed after the ceremony; those that survive were often taken out of their context in the colonial period.

The documentation challenge is therefore crucial: knowing which region, which clan, which ceremony an object comes from, and whether customary rights attach to it.

In several Oceanian societies, objects are the property of a clan and cannot be transferred by an individual. A sale agreed by an unauthorised person can be contested decades later.

OIMAP has adopted a protocol for consulting communities of origin for objects likely to be affected. It provides for a consultation period before any certification of provenance.

Oceanian materials are particularly sensitive to humidity variations, light and insects. A feather cloak exposed to light can lose its colours within a few years; dry wood can split at the first change of temperature.

For these objects, OIMAP conservation reports include a specific protocol: humidity measurement, fibre testing, insect search and storage recommendations.