Moya

Portrait of Harry O'Brien, Melbourne, March 2011
Image: Ben Healley
Source: Museum Victoria

Recently we were lucky enough to interview Collingwood footballer Harry O’ Brien for the exhibition. As well as being one of last year’s premiership team’s key players, Harry is also well known for his lively and thought-provoking blog where he reflects on many of the issues we are exploring in our exhibition.

We filmed in one of Melbourne’s atmospheric laneways, dodging rain, delivery vans and scores of passing school students, many keen for a photo with Harry!

Harry O'Brien is interviewed for the Identity exhibition, Melbourne, March 2011
Image: Ben Healley
Source: Museum Victoria

Harry gave us insights both into his own life and his thoughts on identity, standing up for diversity, and the importance of looking beyond the surface to understand and respect ourselves and others.

‘When you actually sit down and interact with someone and you go past those barriers, you find that you have so much in common with them. And I think that’s one thing I’ve always understood, that no matter how different things may appear on the surface, the surface isn’t the whole story. When you dig a bit deeper you actually find out there’s so much more in common.’

Come and look out for clips from our interview with Harry when the exhibition opens in May.  For now, here are some shots from the interview.

Harry O'Brien is interviewed for the Identity exhibition, Melbourne, March 2011
Image: Ben Healley
Source: Museum Victoria

Harry O'Brien is interviewed for the Identity exhibition, Melbourne, March 2011
Image: Ben Healley
Source: Museum Victoria

Research in an ongoing part of what we do - both during the development of an exhibition and afterwards.

We are fortunate to have Cathrin Bernhardt from La Trobe University working on a research project that also relates to our Identity exhibition. Let me introduce her and her research to you.

Cathrin Bernhardt: Where do I belong?

I am currently undertaking a PhD in Anthropology at La Trobe University in Bundoora. One aspect of my PhD research on second generation Germans in Melbourne is the role of belonging in the construction of identity among children of German migrants. In the last year, I have interviewed 29 second generation Germans, both female and male, who are currently living in Melbourne and are between the age of 18 and 60 years, about how they think about their identity. The experiences of belonging among this group are very diverse. Some are feeling in-between both cultures and are still searching for their sense of belonging, others are feeling deeply rooted in Australia and only experience a connection to their German background at specific times of the year, for example Christmas. Some see themselves as citizens of the world, while others have a strong connection to their German background and maintain active ties to their parents’ homeland. 

Promotional photograph for the German Fest held at the Immigration Museum, 2007
Image: Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria

Museum Victoria gives me a great opportunity to get away from my desk at university and to apply what I am learning through my own research to a museum context. Once a week, I have the chance to contribute as Research Associate to the ‘Searching for Clues’ section in the identity exhibition. It has been a wonderful and enriching experience to explore the personal stories of other second generation migrants in Victoria and to see similarities and differences in their identity formation and sense of belonging compared to my participants.

We will be displaying  a beautiful 18^th century Qur’an from the collection as a symbol of cultural endurance in the Identity exhibition. We wanted to obtain advice from the Albanian Muslim community, from where the Qur’an came, on how to most appropriately and sensitively present this precious prayer book.

Close up image of the Qur’an to be exhibited.
Source: Museum Victoria  

Through our contacts in the Albanian community, we were able to invite Imam Rexhep Idrizi from the Albanian mosque in Carlton to come to the Museum to assist us. The Imam was able to confirm advice previously received on the appropriate height to display a Qur’an, which cannot be low to the ground. He also advised on a selection of pages appropriate for display and offered to assist with providing translations so that we will be able to respond to any visitor enquires about the Qur’an text.

Fanol Isai and Imam Rexhep Idrizi advising us about how to most appropriately and sensitively present the Qur’an.
Source: Museum Victoria  

It was a wonderful example of how the museum consults with experts in the community in order to meet our responsibilities to act in culturally sensitively ways.

For more about the Qur’an go to my earlier blog entry.