PAMBU NEWS
The
University of Michigan Library will join the PMB consortium of Pacific
research
libraries in 2006. James Hilton, Michigan University Librarian, stated
that the
Library would like to become a PMB member in order to “support a recent
expansion in faculty interest and campus programs relating to Pacific
studies.”
The PMB member libraries have welcomed this additional member which
will be
represented on the PMB Management Committee by Fe Susan Go, Head of the
South
East Asia Library at the University of Michigan.
Graeme
Powell, who has represented the National Library of Australia on the
PMB
Management Committee since 1993, will be retiring as NLA Manuscripts
Librarian
next year. Graeme, was a major contributor to the survival of the
Bureau and a
guide and mentor to its recent operations.
There have been two informal meetings of the
Bureau
since June. One on 20 September
in
Nadi, in association with the PARBICA 11 conference, and the other on
14
October in Wellington, in association with a joint conference of the NZ
and
Australian Archivists’ societies. Both meetings were well attended and
proved
useful occasions for the exchange of information and ideas.
Since
June the Bureau has undertaken fieldwork in:
- Port
Vila, 8-12 August and 17 Oct-4 Nov, to survey and microfilm French
records of the Joint Court of the New Hebrides, a collaborative project
with the Territorial Archives of New Caledonia;
- Sydney,
26-27 August, to microfilm some papers of Rev. George Nobbs, of Norfolk
Island, before going to auction by Stanley and Gibbons (Australia) Pty
Ltd;
- Funafuti,
1-17 September, a collaborative pilot project with the Tuvalu National
Library and Archives, Richard Overy and the Endangered Archives
Programme;
- Niue,
23 Sep-2
October, to follow-up microfilming land records at the Dept of Justice,
Lands
and Survey and commence microfilming at the National Archives of Niue.
The Pambu database catalogue is now linked to
a
Panoptic device which enables the attached detailed reel lists to be
searched.
This system is accessible on the Pambu website. Dorothy Shineberg’s
searchable
database of indentured labourers in New Caledonia is now mounted on the
Pambu
website.
The Bureau now can supply digital versions of
PMB
microfilms, including specified documents, scanned to .tif and/or .jpg
image
files, arranged in .pdf folders and linked to the finding aid on CD-R
or DVD.
The PMB microfilms of the papers of Rev.
Shirley Baker
(PMB 1203) have been scanned to DVD for supply to the archives of the
Free
Wesleyan Church of Tonga. The FWC Archivist, Rev. Tevita ‘Ofahulu, said
that
the Church is grateful for the digital copies of the documents, which
he
anticipates will throw new light on the history of Tonga. However, the
Church
maintains its claim that the original documents, which Rev ‘Ofahulu
said are of
such importance to Tonga and the Free Wesleyan Church that they rightly
belong
in Tonga rather than in any neighbouring metropolitan country.
The papers of J. Northcote Deck, documenting
the South
Sea Evangelical Mission in the Solomon Islands, lent to the PMB by
Patricia
Braga, were listed and microfilmed (PMB 1253) in August and then
transferred to
the National Library of Australia. Mrs Braga has also transferred to
the NLA a
fine series of Solomon Islands photographs taken by Norman Deck.
In November, the PMB microfilmed the
correspondence,
1934-1937, of Cyril Cartwright (PMB1261), courtesy of Anthony Aris. Mr
Cartwright was a District Officer in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands
Colony who
died during the Japanese occupation of Banaba.
Rev. Frank and Emma Walker’s photographs from
Vunairima Mission, New Britain, 1925-1930, which were lent to the
Bureau by
Deborah Crisp earlier this year, have been listed and scanned. In
addition, Ms
Crisp’s aunt, Lois Balleine, has lent the Bureau an unpublished memoir
by Rev.
Walker together with his translation of Gospel stories into the Blanche
Bay
language, a Tolai dialect that is of continuing interest.
George Clarke’s maps of Tuvalu, Jean
Chambers’ PNG
Infant Welfare posters, and photographs in the papers of Rev. Baker and
Sir
Colin Allan have been digitised.
In August, Professor Jack Golson transferred
two
cartons of papers belonging to Nancy White, an Anglican missionary in
Oro
Province, PNG, 1950s to 1970s. The papers are on loan to the PMB for
arrangement and microfilming. On completion, Nancy White’s papers will
be
transferred to John Waiko in Port Moresby.
Roy Scragg, Director of Health in the TPNG
from the
late 1950s, visited the ANU in late November. He gave the PMB his
population
study of Lemanokoa, Buka, 1920-1980 (Master of Public Health thesis,
Sydney
University, 1983) with two of his publications for microfilming. He
invited the
Bureau to survey his professional and research papers in Victor Harbor,
South
Australia. Dr Scragg also transferred four cartons of Sir John
Gunther’s TPNG
Dept of Health files for arrangement, description, microfilming and
transfer to
the PNG Institute of Medical Research in Goroka. Sir John was Dr
Scragg’s
predecessor as Director of Health in PNG.
Alan Ives, a retired archivist and avid
collector of books
and documents, has lent the Bureau some reports by Jim Gibbney on his
archives
surveys in PNG in the 1950s and some other relatively rare Pacific
official
publications for microfilming.
Margaret-Ann Hamilton of Sydney contacted the
Bureau
in November regarding diaries, letters and photos of Alma Good relating
to
Kessa Plantation in Buka. Mrs Good’s husband, Percy, a Coast Watcher,
was
killed in the War. Mrs Good returned after the War and ran the
plantation until
the 1960s. Ms Hamilton, a writer, retains the papers for the time being.
Mrs Jean Brian of Sydney contacted the PMB in
June
regarding a library of South Seas books collected by her late brother,
Ian
Forbes. It was Mr Forbes’ wish that the books be donated to a
university or
library where they could be used for study or research.
Mr Forbes’ collection included 40 titles by
Louis Becke, many of them first editions. Mrs Brian transferred the
books to
the ANU Library in July. The Library has accessioned those titles which
it does
not already hold, including 26 of the Louis Becke titles. Duplicate
titles will
be offered to other libraries.
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Vanuatu Nasonal Laebri
Bibliothèque Nationale
National Library
The
Vanuatu National Library at present comprises the Vanuatu and Pacific
Collections. The Library was established as a separate entity in 2004
and is
currently staffed by a Chief Librarian and one other Librarian.
One main mission is to collect and preserve
in the
Vanuatu Collection all literature pertaining to and published about
Vanuatu;
such literature to cover all aspects of Vanuatu’s customs and culture,
its
social, economic and religious life, the land and natural environment;
its
people, communities, institutions and history. Thus, a main role of the
National Library is as a preserver and conserver of information and
knowledge
heritage, with the mission of establishing, maintaining and developing
a truly
national heritage collection in all three official languages: Bislama,
English
and French, as well as with items in the 112 vernaculars.
A primary objective in 2005 has been to
catalogue and
extend the Vanuatu Collection by locating and obtaining literature
about
Vanuatu published locally and overseas, with an emphasis on finding
rare and
historically valuable materials. The Library now has a Rare Books
Section which
includes numerous very old and valuable items; for example,
Bougainville’s
two–volume Journal (published in 1772); Rev. George Turner’s account of
his missionary
voyage to the island of Tanna in 1839; and the Comte de Tolna’s Chez
les
Cannibales. All rare books have now been catalogued on the
Library’s
database system and are currently stored in glass-fronted cabinets kept
open
during the day to facilitate ventilation.
The current task is to upgrade our
preservation
methods, especially in relation to the serials collection, which
includes
original copies of old newspapers, newsletters and reports. During
2005,
approximately two thirds of this unique collection has been catalogued/
electronically databased and is already accessed by a large number of
the
general public, including academic researchers, local students and
members of
the community.
Serial publications have been organised and
are
temporarily stored on open shelves in the Library. We have also started
the
immense task of indexing the rare newspaper items.
Our
current preservation priorities are to:
(a)conduct
a
thorough condition survey of all the Collections;
(b)find
appropriate
conservation and preservation treatment for the collections; and
(c)train
our
librarians in conservation techniques.
Our
long-term plan (2006-2008) is to find funding for a National Archives /
National Library Building within the Vanuatu Cultural Centre complex,
as originally
planned in 1995. This much needed building, with suitable conservation
and
preservation facilities, needs to eventuate by 2008 at the latest, if
our
national heritage collection is to be successfully preserved for future
generations.
Anne Naupa
Vanuatu National
Librarian
3 Nov 2005
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PARBICA
Conference, Nadi,
19-23 Sepember.
The
11th Conference of the Pacific Regional Branch of the
International
Council on Archives was titled, “Record Keeping for Good Governance”.
The theme
that archives and records are essential tools for good governance was
established in the last PARBICA meeting and has been taken up by the
International Council on Archives. The keynote speaker, Anne Thurston,
of the
International Records Management Trust, outlined IRMT projects
supported by the
World Bank and the IMF aimed at capacity building for records
production and
maintenance in the public sector.
Tukul Kaiku, lecturer in records and archives
management at the University of PNG, summarised the conference
resolutions in
her, ‘Viewpoint’, Post-Courier (11 October 2005):
With regard to
good governance and the Pacific Plan, the archivists and records
managers urged
that record-keeping be recognised by Pacific nations as a core
component of
good governance and [the conference] called on Pacific governments to
establish
national record-keeping strategies in support of transparent,
accountable and
efficient governance.
For good
governance, inter-governmental organisations and aid agencies should
include records
management in the terms of reference for governance projects and ensure
that
consultants involved in aid projects have the necessary competence in
records
management.
At the PARBICA annual general meeting,
Setareki Tale
(National Archives of Fiji) was re-elected PARBICA President, Hon.
Albert Vaea
(Tonga Traditions Committee) was elected the Vice-President, Evelyn
Wareham
(Archives NZ) was elected General-Secretary, and Adrian Cunningham
(National
Archives of Australia) was re-elected as Treasurer.
Several
significant developments in Pacific archival infrastructure were
reported to
the PARBICA conference.
- Setareki
Tale
announced that the Fiji government has allocated F$4m for a new
archives
building to be constructed over the next 3 years; that the National
Library of
Fiji is to be separated from the National Archives; that the Fiji
archives
legislation is to be reviewed; that the NAF is now developing its
website and,
with assistance of JICA, will undertake a digitisation project; and
that the NAF
had acquired new microfilming equipment, valued at F$500,000, courtesy
of JICA.
- George
Paniani
reported that the Cook Islands National Archives (CINA) now occupies
its new
building and that the Cook Islands National Radio and Television has
transferred its archives to CINA.
- Kunei
Etekira
reported that the National Archives of Kiribati has completed an index
to all
land records and would now like to digitise all its old land records.
- Nicolas
Dubuisson
reported that Archives Territoriales de Nouvelle-Calédonie has
published its
Guide to Archives Sources for the History of the Kanak People; that it
has
developed a search engine linked to the Archives finding aids which
soon will
be accessible on the internet; that, in conjunction with the French
Embassy in
Port Vila, it is undertaking cooperative projects in Vanuatu; that it
has
acquired microfilms of the Port Vila Diocesan archives (through the
PMB’s OMPA
series); and that it is undertaking a joint project with the PMB on the
French
judicial archives in the Supreme Court of Vanuatu.
- Joan
Tahafa
reported that the National Archives of Niue is still struggling to
re-establish
itself after Cyclone Heta in January 2004: it has no dedicated
building, little
space and needs more archives boxes. She appealed for help from PARBICA.
- Naomi
Ngirakamerang reported that the National Archives of Palau submitted a
report
to UNESCO in March 2004 which resulted in recognition by the UNESCO
National
Commission and the Palau Legislature. The Archives has tripled its
budget and
will move into a new repository; it had also received UNESCO and AusAID
funding
for shelving and a new microfilm reader.
- Jacob
Hevelawa
reported that the National Archives and Records Service of PNG, which
has been
operating a project aimed at rescuing Provincial administration
records, has
identified 200,000 records in eight Provinces and supplied boxes for
their
retention. The National Archives is also running 3-day records
management
workshops in order to encourage higher record keeping standards and
practices
in the administration. AusAID announced funding for renovation of the
National
Library of PNG just before the PARBICA conference. Jacob Hevelawa
indicated
that he hoped for some spin-off for the National Archives.
- Ulrike
Hertel
Akuino reported that there is still no archives building in Samoa,
however, a
Public Records Bill has been drafted. With assistance from Emma Murray,
an
Australian Business Volunteer, Ulrike established a Records Task Force
which
held two training courses for Records Managers in government
departments. Many
Samoan Ministries are struggling with systems development associated
with
institutional strengthening projects which have not included a records
management training component.
- The
National
Archives of the Solomon Islands (NASI) was represented at the
conference for
the first time after the crisis. George Vari reported that although the
Archives had been occupied by hardcore militants, he had kept the key
to the
strong room. He appreciated the efforts of RAMSI as it has brought law
and
order back to the Solomon Islands. With assistance from Australia and
NZ, the
Archives restored a phone line three months ago. There are plans to
appoint an
advisor from the National Archives of Australia to help build the
Archives’
government record keeping capacity.
- Albert
Vaea
reported that a JICA volunteer is working with the Tongan Traditions
Committee;
that the NZ and British High Commissions had supplied extra shelving
for
archives; that the Archives had received copies of Western Pacific High
Commission correspondence with Tonga; and funds had been allocated for
the
construction of a new National Museum in which Archives may be granted
one
floor.
- Togiola
Funafuti
reported that the budget for the National Archives of Tuvalu had
decreased and
that it was very short of storage and work space. The Endangered
Archives
Programme and the PMB have commenced digitising and microfilming some
key
records.
- Tom
Sakias, the
National Archivist of Vanuatu, reported that he would be going to Paris
for
training. There has been no change in the status of the repository
which has
been full for years and no improvement in the Archives’ minimal
staffing
situation.
- Cheryl
Stanborough reported that the Yap State Archives has recovered from a
severe
cyclone in May 2004. The Archives has published a very useful disaster
recovery
booklet. Its budget is now stable and secure. There are positions for
two
trainees at the Archives, but one is vacant at present. A workshop on
government record keeping has been held this year. The Endangered
Archives
Programme has awarded the Archives a major grant for digitising audio
recordings associated with the proceedings of the Yap State
Constitutional
Convention.
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SPC,
Social Development
Section, Microfilms Preserved by the National Library of Australia
In
1952 the Social Development Section of the South Pacific Commission
began to
collect for permanent preservation, manuscripts relating to the areas
under its
jurisdiction. Such manuscripts have
included valuable material relating to native languages in the form of
grammars, dictionaries, vernacular text books, manuscript histories,
studies of
local peoples and collections of folk-lore.
Part of the Commission’s project was to
generate a
microfilm negative of any manuscript located by its officers, the
negative
being retained by the Commission and a positive copy sent to the
Library of
Deposit nominated by the Member government to whose territory the
original
manuscript related.
Due to the relocation of the Social
Development
Section of the Commission from Sydney to the headquarters at Noumea,
the 16th
Session of the Commission in 1956 decided that the project for the
conservation/ preservation of material relating to the South Pacific
Islands
should if possible be shared with an appropriate authority.
Extract from the minutes of a meeting of the
NLA’s Library
Committee held on 7 May 1957, Agenda item 10:
“that the
National Library
undertake the microfilming and the distribution of microfilm copies of manuscripts relating to the areas for which
the South Pacific Commission has responsibility in accordance with the
proposals contained in the report; and that the National Library also
accept
and arrange the transfer of the film collection at present held by the
South
Pacific Commission in Sydney.”
In September 1958 all of the microfilms of
historical
manuscripts collected by the Commission were sent to the National
Library for
safe keeping and for generation of duplicates for those who wished to
purchase
copies of the SPC microfilm.
In June 2004 the Library undertook a stock
take of
master negatives in its cold storage facility.
During this check it was discovered the SPC master negatives
were
cellulose acetate based microfilm, and in various stages of condition. It was also discovered that the Library’s
service copies of this collection were also on acetate based microfilm
and in
very poor condition.
Actions:
- Disposal
of all acetate positive copies in the user collection;
- Ensure
adequate storage for the masters and correct labelling of boxes;
- Generation
of polyester silver halide negative duplicates, to be used as copying
duplicates of the SPC films;
- Generation
of polyester silver halide positive duplicates for the user collection;
- Catalogue
maintenance – adding all of the Library’s holdings.
Outcomes:
- The
master negatives of the SPC collection are now all properly housed and
recorded to ensure the preservation and access of these significant
manuscripts.
- Adequate
service copies are available for public use.
- The
Library’s holding of the SPC material is now accurately recorded on the
NLA Catalogue.
Patricia Crampin
A/g Manager
Preservation
Reformatting
Unit
National
Library of Australia
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A.I. Diamond MBE, 1924-2004:
a distinguished Pacific
archivist.
The Australian archivist, Ian Diamond, died
on 30
September 2004. He will be remembered by Pacific archivists and
historians as
having developed the Central Archives of Fiji and the Western Pacific
High Commission
into a viable research institution at a time when the imperial powers
were
devolving independence and responsible government upon their colonial
possessions.
Ian was born, on 12 June 1924, and raised in
Adelaide.
Having strong family ties with the sea, Ian developed an early interest
in
maritime history. After war service in the RAAF, Ian matriculated in
1948 and
was awarded a degree at the University of Adelaide in 1952, with
honours in
history and political science. He then undertook a Masters Degree at
the
University, completing his thesis on the early years of the South
Australia
Company in 1954.
Ian had a long and distinguished career as an
archivist, first with the Commonwealth Archives in Canberra, and then
with the
British Overseas Civil Service. In 1958 he was appointed as Archivist
of the
Central Archives of Fiji and the Western Pacific High Commission.
Ian wrote that the Central Archives of Fiji,
established
in 1954, the first institution of its kind in Oceania, was “something
of a
prodigy”. The Archives was set up, “not primarily for its practical
value as an
aid to efficient administration, though of course this was a
consideration, but
because of a recognition on the part of both [Fijian and Western
Pacific]
Governments of an obligation to conserve their early records.” (A.I.
Diamond,
‘The Establishment of the Central Archives of Fiji and the Western
Pacific High
Commission’, A&M, 2(8), May 1965; p.10.)
Ian and Ishbel, his wife, sailed for Suva in
July 1958
on the Oronsay. Ishbel referred to the “chaotic” state of the
papers
when Ian was first appointed. He was faced with deteriorating records
of all
kinds and the task of establishing a workable institution. The task
involved
identification, sorting and establishing control systems over archives
of the
Colony of Fiji, the Western Pacific High Commission and the South
Pacific
Office (formerly Pitcairn and Tonga Office).
As well as establishing control over the
archives, Ian
supervised the development of conservation and microfilming work in the
Archives. He negotiated the allocation of the former Government
Printing Office
in Carnarvon Street, Suva, for the Archives (although it was not
occupied until
1979). He also encouraged the adoption of a Public Records Ordinance in
Fiji,
aimed at protecting the archives, and had oversight of its transition
to an Act
to Provide for the Better Preservation of the Public Records of Fiji,
1970,
under which the National archives of Fiji was formally established in
July
1971.
Part of Ian’s role in developing the
institution was
to travel from time to time to the Solomon Islands, the Gilbert and
Ellice
Islands, the New Hebrides and Tonga, to review the non-current records
and
select certain of them for transfer to the Central archives for
permanent
preservation. As a result a large proportion of the Western Pacific
Archives,
mostly now held at Auckland University Library, were selected, sorted
and
catalogued by Ian.
Ian and Ishbel left Fiji in 1971, after
independence.
Ian was posted to Hong Kong to establish the Archives there. He was
appointed
Head of the Hong Kong Public Record Office and remained in that
position until
1985 when he returned to Australia and retired in Adelaide. In 1974, as
a
consultant to UNESCO, Ian reported on the establishment on a national
archives
in Afghanistan. After his retirement Ian returned to Hong Kong to
advise on
records management as the colony was reverting to Chinese sovereignty
in 1997.
Thanks to Ken
Barnes,
whose Eulogy at the Ian Diamond’s funeral has been extensively used in
this
account of his archival career, and to Peter Orlovich, Deryck Scarr and
Richard
Overy for their comments.
Ewan Maidment
15 Dec 2005
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Report on PMB Fieldwork in
the Supreme Court of
Vanuatu, Port Vila, Oct-Nov 2005
The purpose of this fieldwork was to
microfilm the
records of the Tribunal Mixte des Nouvelles-Hébrides (Joint
Court of the
New Hebrides) located in the archive of the Tribunaux français des
Nouvelles-Hébrides at the Supreme Court of Vanuatu. Microfilming
proceeded
according to the Répertoire sommaire: Archives de la Cour
Suprême de
la République de Vanuatu (Tribunaux français des Nouvelles-Hébrides),
compiled by Bruno Corre
(Archives
Territoriales de Nouvelle-Calédonie) in 1994. Half of the cost of this
fieldwork were borne by the Archives Territoriales de
Nouvelle-Calédonie by
purchase of the completed microfilm.
The Chief Justice of Vanuatu, His Lordship
Vincent
Lunabek, and the Registrar of the Court, Mr John Alilee, both gave
strong
support for the project and expressed their desire to improve
management of
archival and non-current records at the Court.
The Court House in Port Vila
is a striking landmark in of Vanuatu’s colonial past. The records
repository
out the back is less imposing but very secure. Built by the French in
the
1970s, it is an air-conditioned concrete building, with no windows and
a
strong-room door. It has two rooms, one for non-current records and the
other
for archives. The archives are stored tightly on 19 cabinets or book
cases; in
total about 130 shelf metres of records dated before 1980. Apart from
some
crushing the archives are in good condition. They have not been
affected by
mould.
The PMB Executive Officer, Ewan Maidment,
made a
preliminary survey of the Joint Court archives in August, matching the
record
items with Bruno Corre’s Répertoire. Alex Roberts, who has
extensive
experience making PMB microfilms, commenced work at the Court on 17
October.
Nicolas Dubuisson, an archivist from the Archives Territoriales de
Nouvelle-Calédonie, arrived on 23 October to assist in identifying
documents
for microfilming. With the support of the Court, M. Dubuisson is
revising Bruno
Corre's Répertoire and preparing formal recommendations on
arrangements
for long term storage of the archives and for improvements in
management of the
Court’s non-current records. M. Dubuisson is also liaising with the
Vanuatu
National Archivist, Tom Sakias, about these records. Ewan Maidment
arrived in
Port Vila on 31 October with a second camera to help complete the
microfilming.
Our microfilming
produced 17 reels
of microfilm (PMB 1254) covering the organisation of the judiciary,
judgements
of the Tribunel criminel de Port Vila (1913-1963), and arrêtés
et
décisions of the President and the Joint Court (1910-1978), conférences
of the Court (1910-1939) and correspondance of the Court
(1915-1979).
This material is complemented by the microfilm civil and criminal
judgements of
the Joint Court of the New Hebrides (1911-1977) which Greg Rawlings
made in
1999 (PMB 1145). The opportunity was taken to microfilm a set of the
Supreme
Court’s labour judgements, 1975-1977 (PMB 1262).
At the request of
the Chief Justice,
the PMB also helped select some documents from the archive for display
at the
opening of the Supreme Court in January 2006.
The archives includes a series of several
thousand procédure
files detailing all cases before the Court to 1979, including a number
of the
cases to which Edward Jacomb refers in his France and England in
the New
Hebrides. Although microfilming this series is beyond the resources
of the
PMB, the records have been identified as unique and valuable, and well
worth preservation.
It is estimated that two or three more weeks
are
required to complete microfilming the remaining French records of the
Joint
Court, excluding the procédure files. It is planned that the
PMB will
return in June 2006 to work again with Nicholas Dubuisson on this
project.
We wish to thank the Chief Justice, the
Registrar and
all the staff at the Supreme Court of Vanuatu for granting PMB access
to their
records and for being so supportive during our stay. We would also like
to
thank M. Ismet Kurtovitch, Director of the Archives Territoriales de
Nouvelle-Calédonie, and Nicolas Dubuisson for their collaboration on
this
project.
Alex Roberts and Ewan Maidment
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Report on PMB fieldwork in
Tuvalu and Niue, Sep-Oct
2005
The main aim of this trip was to collaborate
with the
Tuvalu National Library and Archives (TNLA) and Richard Overy in an
Endangered
Archives Programme (EAP) pilot project. The EAP is supported by the
Lisbet
Rausing Foundation and administered by the British Library.
The pilot project went very well. The aim was
to
survey the extent of Tuvalu’s archives, especially those documenting
its
cultural heritage, and to test means of preservation reformatting key
series.
The TNLA holds lists compiled by the Western Pacific Archives (WPA) of
Gilbert
and Ellice Islands Colony, Ellice Islands District, administration
archives
deposited at the TNLA in 1978 when the WPA closed down. The TNLA also
has a
register of records deposited since then, including some further
documentation
of the colonial administration. Using the WPA lists, under the
direction of
Mila Tulimanu, the Tuvalu National Librarian, and assisted by Tutaima
Tolauapai
and Togiola Funafuti, I proceeded to microfilm land records and related
Land
Commission and Island Council papers for the Islands of Funafuti and
Nanumea, making
11 rolls (PMB 1254). In the meantime Richard, enthusiastically assisted
by
Tutuila Tekui and the other TNLA staff, made digital copies of selected
Ellice
Islands administration documents, amounting almost 5,000 images.
The PMB microfilms have been converted to
digital
documents (.tif image files, grouped by document in .pdf files) for
supply to
the EAP and the TNLA. (The TNLA does not have a microfilm reader.) PMB
members
will be supplied with prints of the microfilms and copies of the
digital documents.
As the EAP makes no provision for archiving digital masters they will
be
migrated to the ANU’s DSpace repository for long term storage. As
usual, the
microfilm master negatives will be put in cold storage at the National
Library
of Australia.
We intend to apply for a major EAP grant
aimed at
completing copying of land and other records in the TNLA documenting
customary
society in Tuvalu, and extending to records in the outer Islands; the
project
to begin in September 2006.
It was a great privilege to visit the
wonderful island
of Funafuti. I wish to express my gratitude to the staff and families
of the
TNLA for their enormous hospitality. I would also like to express my
appreciation of Richard Overy’s knowledge of GEIC archives
administration and
his familiarity with Island ways which were instrumental to the success
of the
project.
This was the first field project, in which
the PMB has
been involved, to use a digital camera for reformatting. It should be
noted
that a good deal of the TNLA staff’s enthusiastic support for the
project
derived from their ability to operate the camera, migrate the digital
files to
disk, manage the naming and organisation of the files, back-up to CD,
and view
the results. This hands-on experience of the total process of
reformatting gave
the TNLA staff, as well as Richard and me, a high degree of
satisfaction which
is not possible to achieve in the microfilming process.
The project in Tuvalu was timed to mesh with
the 11th
PARBICA conference in Nadi and with a joint conference of NZ and
Australian
Archivists’ Associations held in Wellington. I gave a talk on
development of
bi-laterial archives projects at the PARBICA conference and, with
Tatiana
Antsoupova, gave a paper on Pacific photograph collections at the
Archivists’
conference.
Richard Overy outside the
Tuvalu National Library and Archives, Funafuti
In between the conferences there was an
opportunity to
carry out some follow-up microfilming in Niue. By appearances Niue is
recovering quickly from the cyclone. Construction of the new hospital
is
nearing completion. A new fish freezing works has also been built. Sea
tracks
and boat launching ramps have been repaired. More than a dozen yachts
and a
French patrol boat were anchored at Alofi, so the town and restaurants
were
busy.
The Department of Justice, Lands and Survey,
where the
PMB microfilmed Land Court records last year, is still in temporary
accommodation, as priority has been given to building the new hospital.
The
Department’s staff have completed drying out, cleaning and backing
damaged land
records. Land files relating to Alofi are neatly arranged in five new
4-drawer
filing cabinets stored in the container which was used last year to
store
saturated records. The remainder of the rescued land files are all
neatly arranged
by village in file boxes on the other side of the container, awaiting
transfer to
filing cabinets when they become available.
Togia Sioneholo, the Secretary for Justice,
has had
last year’s PMB microfilms scanned to CD, by NZ Micrographic Services
Ltd in
Wellington, for reference purposes. During this visit we microfilmed
more wills
and two series of applications to the Land Court, thus completing the
PMB
project at the Niue Land Court.
I met the Director of the Department of
Community
Affairs, Fa’apoi Akesi, and the Administrator, Gina Tukuiha, to discuss
requirements for support and assistance for the National Archives of
Archives.
A report on that matter has been compiled and sent to Archives NZ, the
National
Library of NZ and the National Archives of Niue.
Mr Fa’apoi agreed that the PMB may proceed to
microfilm the bound copies of Tohi Tala Niue / Niue
Newsletter,
held in the Archives. These I proceeded to film, 1953-1982 (gaps), on 9
reels,
using up all remaining unexposed negative (PMB Doc 467). Unfortunately,
there
are some major gaps in the Archives’ holdings, but the PMB hopes to
fill the
gaps by microfilming copies of the missing volumes held by libraries in
NZ.
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SOME RECENT PMB
MANUSCRIPTS SERIES MICROFILMS
PMB 1227 ARUNDEL FAMILY
PAPERS,
1803-1935. 2 reels.
(Available for reference.)
NOTE Sydney
Dorothy Aris née Arundel (1884-1966)
was born on Sydney Island in the Phoenix Group. The natives wished to
call her
Sydney because she was the first white child born on their Island. When
Sydney
and Lillian, her sister, were christened by the native pastor on Sydney
Island,
the natives became so excited that they upset the little
trolley car on
which the babies and their mother, Eleanor Whibley ("Lillie") were
being taken to the chapel. Lillie Arundel must have been injured,
although it
was not known at the time.
With
no means of communication with the outside world and a need to report
to HQ in
London, the family left Sydney Island on the small yacht Explorer
and
intercepting and transferring to a liner (off Samoa) on her way from
New
Zealand to Honolulu and San Francisco. With the family was the devoted
Mounga,
a young chief of Niue Island (Savage Island) who from his youth had
insisted on
following John Arundel ("Aneru" to all natives) and who now became
the attendant for both babies. He had arrived with all his possessions
knotted
up in a red handkerchief, refusing to budge until accepted. At San
Francisco,
Lillie Arundel and the children were left at Monterey while JTA and
Mounga
returned to the Islands. Lillie Arundel realised that she was losing
the use of
her right arm, but said nothing. Later on, the family, including
Mounga, were
reunited and came on to England, where they lived with Lillie Arundel's
father,
stepmother and family. Although Lillie Arundel was obviously ill, the
doctors
did not understand the ailment and urged her to have another child.
Twin sons
were born, but only lived a short time. Lillie died soon after. Mounga
took
charge of the Arundel babies and, if offended, would go off in a huff
with them
for many hours. Mounga returned to the islands with JTA in 1886,
"leaving
the small girls in the wonderful care of their grandparents and aunts."
The rest of his story is told in the packet of letters that have been
microfilmed.
Some are in Tahitian. It is a wonderful story.
There is a packet of
5 photos, four of Mounga (in various dress, mostly as a Gentleman's
Jeeves) and
one of his sweetheart, Kate, the English nursemaid with whom he fell in
love
and proposed to many times. Mounga wished to return to his island with
her, "where
if any man speak to you I shoot him quick".
The notes above are condensed from a
commentary by
Anthony Aris, grandson of Sydney Aris.
CONTENTS; Family
papers held by Sydney Dorothy Aris,
daughter of J.T. Arundel. The records consist of: papers of Rev. John
Arundel,
Home Secretary of the London Missionary Society, 1820-1846; papers of
J.T.
Arundel, his wife, Lillie, his daughters, Sydney and Lillian; his
Niuean
servant, Mounga; and his Tahitian-French protégé, Denis Drollet (Davide
Dorlini).
The papers also
include:
Irene Fletcher’s biographical notes on J.T. Arundel; letters of Lillie
Arundel
to her family, 1882-85; letters of J.T. Arundel to his daughters,
1887-1901;
photographs of a painting of the ship Explorer, photographs of
J.T.A.,
William, Sydney, Lillian and Lillie Arundel and nurse Surman;
correspondence,
papers and photographs of Monga of Niue Island, including his letters
to JTA in
Polynesian, 1886-1900; documents relating to the death of Squire
Flockton on
Jarvis Island in 1883; Lillian Arundel’s, “Six Months on a South Sea
Island”
(illustrated); photographs of Nauru, Ocean Island, Jarvis Island; 1905;
and the
Diary of A.F. Ellis, Ocean Island, May 1900.”
See Reel List for details.
See also:
PMB 14 H.I.N.
Moouga: Diary, in Tahitian, Mangarevan and English, kept on Flint
Island,
Eastern Pacific, Apr 1889-Jan 1891.
PMB 480-495
John T. Arundel: diaries, correspondence, miscellaneous papers
on the
phosphate industry, 1870-1919.
PMB 1174 J.T.
Arundel & Company and Pacific
Islands Company Limited, Australian Office, correspondence files,
1892-1904.
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PMB 1228 NORTON, Robert (1944- ): English translations of political
speeches in Fiji, 1965-1968. 1 reel. (Available for reference.)
NOTE
Dr Robert Norton, an anthropologist at
Macquarie University, Sydney, has carried out field research into
politics in
Fiji since the 1960s. His study of politics and government in Fiji, Race
and
politics in Fiji, was first published in 1977.
CONTENTS Political
speeches, delivered in 1966 during the first election campaign after
independence in Fiji, 1966, by Apisai Tora, Andrew Deoki, Ratu Josua
Tonganivalu, Ratu David
Tonganivalu,
Ratu William Tonganivalu, Uraia Koroi, Sakiasi Sovanivalu (leader of
the Fijian
Teachers Assoc.), A.V. Sikivou, S.K Sikivou, Ratu Livai Volavola, Ratu
Noa
Nawalowalo, Ratu Livai Volavola, Ratu Filimone Loco, Loloma Livingston,
Pandit
Ajodhya Prasad, A.D. Patel, Deo Narayan (Sugar Mill Workers Union),
S.M. Koya,
C.A. Shah, Madhavan, K.C. Ramrakha, M.S. Tikaram, M.T. Khan, Irene Jai
Narayan,
Pratap Chandra Sharma and C.P. Bidesi.
The translations
are of
Fijian and Hindi speeches, but a few were originally in English as
indicated. The
Fijian speeches were translated by Mr Neumi Raibosa, clerk at Fijian
Development Fund Board (brother of anthropologist Dr Rusiate
Nayacakalou). The Hindi
language translations were made by Mr Pathik and Mr Ram Narayan Govind,
lecturers at Nasinu Teachers College, Suva.
See Reel List
for details.
Audio
recordings of the speeches will be available at PMB AUDIO 47-62.
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PMB 1233 GLOVER, John Corbett
(1909-1948): “The
Flying Priest”. Fr Glover’s account of flying experiences in New
Guinea, mainly
during the Pacific War, including the evacuation to Kainantu and his
attempted
flight to Thursday Island, 1936-1942. 1 reel. (Available for reference.)
NOTE Fr.
John
Glover was an Australian secular priest, trained at St. Patrick’s
Seminary,
Sydney. Fr Glover first learnt to fly aeroplanes with Butler Air
Transport Co.
while a Parish Priest at Cootamundra, NSW, in 1936. Fr. Glover moved to
New
Guinea with the Divine Word Mission (SVD) in 1938 where he returned to
flying
aircraft for the Mission in 1940. After the Japanese attacks on Lae,
Wau and
Bulolo, in January 1942, Fr Glover joined the New Guinea Volunteer
Rifles. He
helped to evacuate Europeans from the Markham Valley, piloting a
Spartan
2-seater and a Fox-Moth 4-seater re-built and maintained by Karl Nagy,
who had
been Guinea Airways’ chief engineer. He served in the Middle East as
Chaplain 2nd1st
Btn 6th Division AIF. Returning to New Guinea after the War,
he was
killed while crash landing a plane at the Catholic Mission at Mingende,
near
Kundiawa, in 1948.
CONTENTS Memoir
by Fr Glover of his flying experiences in New Guinea, mainly during the
Pacific
War, Ts., p/c, 27pp, annotated. Includes accounts of pre-World War II
air
operations in Lae and Wau and of ferrying European civilians from the
coast to
Kainantu and Mt Hagen to escape the Japanese occupation. Fr Glover also
tells
the story of his attempted flight with Karl Nagy in a Fox-Moth bi-plane
over
the Owen Stanley Ranges to Horn Island, off Cape York, to arrange
evacuation of
the refugees in the Highlands.
A note on the memoir explains that it was
discovered
during a clean-up at Mascot Airport in Sydney by John Baker, a former
employee
of Butler Air Transport, who gave it to A.R.W. (Jim) Hoile, who passed
it on to
Adrian Leydon, Secretary of the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles-ANGAU
Association.
This microfilm also includes Mr Leydon’s
research file
on Fr. Glover, consisting of correspondence with the SVD Mission at Mt
Hagen
and others, 1989-2003, published articles and biographical documents.
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