June 2, 2023
Following the debut of the public event series "Talking Maps" at Christmas Island's George Fam Centre in late May, the workshop received coverage in the island's local newsletter, The Islander. "Participants in the workshop revealed numerous recollections of the George Fam Building from when it was a school until 1987 and the local government offices from 1992," says the article.
"School memories from a workshop participant revealed boys smoking behind the male toilets (classic), fights on the school bus (what happened on the school bus, stayed on the school bus) and stories of a world war 2, possibly Japanese, concrete pillbox bunker adjacent to the walkable incline where students would visit that has since been demolished." The article also highlighted a key draw of the event- 1970s secondary school canteen food at 1970s prices. "Talking Maps [workshopers] certainly loved the day’s experience – and the 1975 priced school lunch items at the end! 25c nasi lemak, curry puffs, mee siam and delicious Malay dessert kueh!" Read the full article on the Shire of Christmas Island website.
May 12, 2023
"Living Museum of Christmas Island" has been awarded funding through the Saluting their Service Commemorative Grants Program through the Department of Veterans' Affairs. This funding will support the creation of immersive digital experiences about the history of Christmas Island and its Japanese occupation during the Second World War, focusing on physical structures built and used during wartime.
Thank you to the Department of Veterans' Affairs for supporting this project!
Commemorative plaque and gun emplacement near Tai Jin House on Christmas Island in memory of British troops murdered in 1942. Source: Christmas Island Archives.
August 24, 2020
An article in the Stanford Daily, "Stanford Fulbright scholars bring attention to marginalized communities," outlines the proposed research and outcomes of this project. "The Fulbright U.S. Student Program emphasizes the facilitation of cultural appreciation and understanding," the article says. "For Niu, that means that another facet of her project will include 'creating a model for how [a] community-driven archive can happen.'' Oftentimes, Niu said, the way that history is recorded is very 'colonial.'"
From the Stanford Daily article. Photo by Tom Schandy.
Built by Stephanie Niu, 2023