Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 3
April 7, 2009 (Tue) - June 7, 2009 (Sun)
While the islands of the South Pacific are well known among Japanese as resort locations, many people are still unfamiliar with their native cultures.
Until contact with Europeans in the 16th-18th centuries, many South Pacific islanders of Asian ancestry were maritime people whose lifestyles were characterized by primitive cultivation practices and neolithic technologies.
Home to a significant number of cultures, the South Pacific islands are linked by many similarities, just as they are distinguished by many differences.
The South Pacific region is subdivided into three major island groups: Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. A variety of terrains are represented among the individual islands, and environmental differences such as the abundance of stone (volcanic islands) or the lack thereof (reef islands) Played an influence in ilanders' traditional lifestyles.
The Tokyo National Museum collection houses numerous objects originating from the South Pacific region, which were brought to Japan from the Meiji (1868-1912) to the early Showa (1926-89) periods. This exhibition introduces a selection of these objects, which narrate both the similarity and rich diversity of South Pacific island cultures.
Major works in this exhibition
