How do objects help us understand our history and culture?
According to WA Museum History Curator, Erica Boyne, there’s a simple answer.
“People relate to things they know – they make sense of things through their size, shape, look, feel, sound and smell,” Erica said.
“Material culture is central to every person’s existence, and museums use that familiarity to help visitors associate themselves with historical objects and stories they might not know.”
Erica said an interesting example was a child’s fancy dress, ‘Little Miss Britain’, on display in Boola Bardip’s Tianqi Lithium Connections gallery.
“This item was chosen for display to help people understand Western Australia’s early foundations and identity. The costume was designed and worn by 9-year-old Western Australian Rita Lloyd to a juvenile ball in London in 1909,” Erica said.
“Rita was one of over 1200 children in attendance at the ball hosted by the Lord Mayor of London.”
Affixed to her silk dress were flags and badges representing Great Britain and its territories, the portraits of the Empire’s many international leaders and red, white and blue ribbons. Prominently featured at the centre of the dress’s bodice was a portrait of King Edward VII, surrounded by scores of symbolic representations of the Empire’s power and expanse.
Erica explained that when Rita made her dress in 1909 many Western Australians saw themselves as British subjects first and Australians or Western Australians second.
“Through her costume, Rita was intentionally showcasing her ‘Britishness’ to London’s high society,” she said.
“This colourful and odd dress draws the attention of most visitors who enter the gallery and invites them to engage in a story about Western Australian history and identity that they might not normally be interested in.
“Children particularly respond to the dress – they observe its size and style, they share the different Book Week costumes they have worn as fancy dress, and they discuss how they would have designed their costume if they were Rita.
“Without being aware of it, they actively engage in discussion about Western Australian identity, past and present. This is the power of objects.”
