Attending to the Fiji Court: Engaging with Material Culture to Address Entangled Subjectivities at the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition 1925–6

One of the most anticipated exhibits at the New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition 1925–6 was the Fiji Court; the display’s highlight being the group of ‘Fijian attendants’ who oversaw it. This article documents the organization and participation of these men, some of whom were not even Fijian. They demonstrated cultural activities such as kava making ceremonies and performed a variety of songs, going well beyond the role of mere ‘attendants’. Receiving considerable public attention, their role extended beyond the exhibition grounds. Descending from and entangled with the history of living exhibits at World Fairs and International Exhibitions, the men were not simply passive participants. They were not confined to racialized stereotypes but were representatives and ambassadors. Material culture and the lives of objects provide a gateway through which the complex relations of performer and spectator can be unravelled and understood.