The indigenous map: native information, ethnographic object, artefact of encounter
Lead Research Organisation:
Royal Holloway University of London
Department Name: Geography
Abstract
The project seeks to document the extent of indigenous maps within the RGS-IBG collections; to consider the contexts of their acquisition, and their subsequent histories; and to explore their historical significance as sources of geographical information, as ethnographic objects and as artefacts of encounter.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Felix Driver (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Joy Slappnig (Student) |
| Description | Detailed research into the RGS Map Collection, discovery of new knowledge of Indigenous maps and mapping. |
| Exploitation Route | Similar research on the theme of Indigenous maps in other other major collections in the UK and overseas. |
| Sectors | Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Description | Public lecture and summer school workshop, leading to greater knowledge and engagement with the collections. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | Historical Geography Research Group Bursary |
| Amount | £200 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Historical Geography Research Group |
| Sector | Learned Society |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2018 |
| End | 07/2018 |
| Description | Historical Geography Research Group Conference Grant |
| Amount | £100 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Historical Geography Research Group |
| Sector | Learned Society |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2018 |
| End | 09/2018 |
| Description | Royal Historical Society Award for Research Outside the UK |
| Amount | £600 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Royal Historical Society |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2018 |
| End | 12/2018 |
| Description | PhD Placement with RGS-IBG |
| Organisation | Royal Geographical Society |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Development of teaching resources for undergraduate students based on my research on the RGS-IBG collections |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision and guidance, provision of a workplace |
| Impact | Teaching resources, which will be available for download online. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | PhD Placement with Weltmuseum Wien, Vienna, Austria |
| Organisation | Museum of Ethnology Vienna |
| Country | Austria |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Assisted with curatorial tasks, conducted research for exhibition, co-wrote exhibition booklet, helped in the organisation of international conference. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision, workplace facilities, expertise, work experience |
| Impact | Exhibition "The Colonial Thing" at Weltmuseum Wien. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Lecture as part of Be Inspired lecture series at RGS-IBG |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I gave a 40-minute lecture based on my research with the RGS-IBG map collection to an audience of about 90 people comprised of RGS members and the general public. The lecture was followed by questions and discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Public Lecture on Indigenous Mapping, British Library, May 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Public Lecture, delivered with Huw Rowlands, on 'Wood and Water, Lines and Sand: Indigenous mapping', at the British Library, May 2018. The lecture was part of the public programme connected with the exhibition James Cook: The Voyages, and was attended by a large and diverse audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.bl.uk/events/wood-and-water-lines-and-sand-indigenous-mapping |
| Description | Short feature in Geographical Magazine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I wrote two short articles for the Geographical Magazine about the RGS-IBG collection. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Summer School Workshop on Indigenous Maps, Royal Geographical Society, June 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Workshop on Indigenous Maps and Mapping for a University of London Summer School on Map History, led by Felix Driver and Joy Slappnig, held at the Royal Geographical Society, June 2018. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Talk at International Conference on the History of Cartography in Amsterdam |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I gave a 20-minute presentation about a Tibetan map of Sikkim I'm researching for my thesis. After the presentation, I had some interesting discussions with some audience members. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |