Research interests
- Regionally my research interest is the cultures and societies in Oceania with a particular focus on the Polynesian kingdom of Tonga. I am keeper of our museum'scollection of ethnografic artefact from Oceania, i.e objects originating in the South Pacific; Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia and Australia.
- The relationship between the natural environment, everyday experienc, rituals and social values has been a central research topic since my first fieldwork in 1986 on Kotu Island in the Ha'apai island group in Tonga. In later research projects I have explored the relationship between materiality and society by working amongs Tongan woodcarvers and focussing on skills, competence and knowledge underlying the production of culturally valued artefacts.
- Most recently my research interest has turned towards the exploration of mobility, sociocultural stability and change by focussing on what happens with competence and cultural valuation when people as well as things move to new natural and sociocultural surroundings because of migration.
- During my fieldworks I have on several occasions purchased artefacts for our ethnographic collection. In documenting how they are produced and how they are used I use film and photography extensively.
Teaching
Making exhibitions-museological theory and practice /Utstillingsproduksjon - museologisk teori og praksis
Background
Academic education:
- 1997: PhD, Social Anthropology, Department and Museum of Anthropology, University of Oslo.
- 1990: MA, Social Anthropology, Department and Museum of Anthropology, University of Oslo.
- 1983: BA with the three disciplines Russian Language,History and Social Anthropology at the University of Oslo.
Research and fieldwork background:
- 2010-2011: Fieldwork in Auckland in New Zealand, Nuku'alofa and Kotu in Tonga to study Rituals on the move: ritual presentation and cultural evaluation of ‘tongan wealth’ , tongan food’ and ‘tongan kava’, among Tongan overseas migrants, as part of the project Making sense through the senses – exploring the aesthetics of ritual
- 2003-04: Fieldwork in Nuku'alofa and on Kotu in Tonga as a part of the multidisciplinary research project Identity Matters, Movement and Place in Oceania funded by the Norwegian Research Council.
- 1991-92: Fieldwork on Kotu Island in the Ha'apai island group of Tonga as a basis for the doctoral thesis Moving Things of Love. An Ethnography of Consitutive Motions on Kotu Island in Tonga.
- 1986-87: Fieldwork on Kotu Island in the Ha'apai island group of Tonga as a basis for the MA thesis and book The Long Way Home. Dilemmas of Learning and Deciding on Kotu Island in the Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga
Career background:
- 2001-: Associate Professor Department of Ethnography where I am keeper of the part of the ethnographic collection originating in Oceania. From 2001-2004 I was particularly involved in facilitating the development of a new ethnographic collection database based on a full digitalization of our collection. In 2005-2007 I curated the multidisciplinary exhibition Starpaths Across the Pacific. Narratives of Origin in Oceania. based on the research of the research project Identity Matters. Movement and Place in Oceania funded by the Norwegian Research Council. From 2007-2010 I was Head of the Department of Ethnography of our museum.
- 2000-01: Associate Professor at Department of Anthropology, Bergen museum, University of Bergen and keepr of the Oceania collection.
- 1998-00: Associate Professor Deparment of Social Anthropology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim.
- 1997-98: Associate Professor Department and Museum of Anthropology, University of Oslo.
- 1991-96: Norwegian Research Council scholarship at Department and Museum of Anthropology, University of Oslo.
- 1990-91: Senior Lecturer Department of Social Anthropology, Dragvoll, University of Trondheim.
Appointments
- 2007-2010: Head of Department of Ethnography, Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo.
- 2003-2006: Representative of research staff on the Board of the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo.
Regional specialization
Oceania with a particular focus on Polynesia and Tonga.