these cultural markers seen over changing times

Martin recently worked with editors of the book Architectural Conservation Australia New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, which was published by Routledge early in 2024. He previously worked on the Encyclopaedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World, 2nd Edition project. In both cases writing entries and doing some editing. Both needed Melanesia introductions and new entries.

Melanesia for this project first focuses on Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. They are the big three key Melanesian Spearhead Group countries that have very large majority Melanesian populations with very similar Cultural traditions and aspirations that are supported with agendas that are linked to UNESCO heritage concerns.

The large island New Guinea, with the Bismarck archipelago, then the Solomons archipelago, and then islands of Vanuatu all display coherent geographic and cultural divisions within their underpinning Melanesian roots. Especially within these countries traditional architecture and art was strongly expressed. It is richly diverse and imbued with meaning. How the diverse expressions of architecture and art can be seen to change in different places over time are linked attitudes and forces related to Custom – tradition at first contact, Colonial times resulting in independence, and Today current times.). Architecture and art, as it is built and lived in, can be used as evidence in all these cases because it reveals a lot when it is examined through the traditional, colonial and contemporary lenses.

Martin was architect for some key modern cultural development buildings during the independence period in PNG. In Australia he did research and writing on school buildings, practised as an architect, became an academic and presented papers on his research work at conferences. This led to doing a thesis based on the changing building expressions of three related Melanesian peoples in different locations in Australia’s Papua over over colonial times.

The result is that an extensive amount of material has built up over the years which is now to be put towards this project. Aspects of some of the more recent PNG trips and projects from 2002 to say 2016 are already up in earlier posts on this website.

Working on both of the publications mentioned at the beginning was interesting and satisfying. It was also challenging in terms of the limited page space available within such publishing projects with worldwide coverage. This project however is about focusing on Melanesia’s rich and diverse Architecture and Art and giving it and the resilient people the recognition that they deserve. And finally it is hoped that the results of the work of the project can give back to the communities something they may value and help new generations better understand the social and environmental values and meanings, the skills and the complex and beautiful productions of their forebears.