Objects as Insights: R.H. Codrington's Ethnographic Collections from Melanesia

Robert Codrington (1830-1922) was a priest who trained at Oxford University and volunteered to work in Nelson, New Zealand. He was appointed as headmaster of the Melanesian Mission training school on Norfolk Island in 1867 and spent the next twenty years in the region attempting to gain an ethnographic understanding of the people. He took a lively interest in material culture as a collector and donated objects to museums, including the British Museum and The Pitt Rivers Museum. His specialist knowledge made him a valued informant for scholars of Melanesia, and he is regarded as one of the founding scholars of Pacific anthropology. This book explores how Codrington formed his collection through his written works, correspondence with other collectors and scholars, and his five journals written between 1867 and 1882. It also highlights his contribution to the development of material culture studies in the region and how his work has influenced Melanesian studies to the present day.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 90 pages
Publication date: 28 August 2021
Publisher: British Museum Press

Robert Codrington (1830-1922) embarked on a transformative journey to become a priest at Oxford University. His dedication led him to volunteer in Nelson, New Zealand, from 1860 to 184, where he was appointed as the headmaster of the Melanesian Mission training school on Norfolk Island in 1867. For the next twenty years, he dedicated himself to this role, serving as the head of the Mission and embarking on extensive travels through the Melanesian region. Throughout his tenure, Codrington sought to deepen his ethnographic understanding of the people he served. To achieve this, he immersed himself in the study of local languages, diligently translating scriptures into Mota, the lingua franca of the Mission. However, it was Codrington's profound appreciation for material artefacts that truly shaped his understanding of Melanesian life. He possessed a lively interest in material culture as a collector, actively acquiring and donating numerous objects to prestigious museums such as the British Museum and The Pitt Rivers Museum. His exceptional expertise in the field made him a highly sought-after informant for scholars of Melanesia, who regularly consulted him for insights and knowledge. Today, Codrington is revered as one of the founding scholars of Pacific anthropology, his legacy enduring in the field.

This book aims to provide a comprehensive exploration of how Codrington's collection came to be, delving into his written anthropological works, correspondence with fellow collectors and scholars, and the private correspondence with his brother and his five journals, written between 1867 and 1882. Furthermore, the book sheds light on Codrington's equally significant contributions to the development of material culture studies in the region and how his work has left an indelible mark on Melanesian studies to this day.

ISBN-13: 9780861592357