item details
Overview
This Nokia™ cell phone and holder was part of the group of items gifted by festival organisers to Puawai Cairns. As Curator for Contemporary Maori Culture at Te Papa Tongarewa, Cairns was part of the
The Festival of Pacific Arts
An initiative started in 1972 by the Conference of the South Pacific Commission, this is a travelling festival held every four years in the Pacific region. It involves the participation of 27 countries in the Pacific, inclusive of Aotearoa New Zealand. The festival features a range of artforms, and is one of the longest-running and largest celebrations of indigenous art and culture in the world.
Significance
The influence of the cellular phone to communities around the world that have this technology is undisputed. For many people, is a necessary accessory in the functioning of their daily lives. In In a Pacific context, the social and cultural significance of cell phones is heightened as land line access is unavailable or underdeveloped. Cell phones are affordable, portable and are increasingly used by people for economic activity such as transferring funds or buying and selling things. People also use cell phones to maintain social connections and kin networks.
This cell phone is of particular significance because it acknowledges this influence as well the potential growth in this technology in the Solomon Islands market.The brand of this phone’s holder is Be Mobile SI Ltd,™ which is one of the Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM) operators in the Solomon Islands that launched in August 2010. They specialise in the selling of mobile phones as well as providing pre-pay services for personal and business use. Be Mobile SI Ltd™, is an example of the increasing demand for communications technology in the Pacific.
Acquisition History
This cell phone and holder were offered to Te Papa by Puawai Cairns on her return from the festival in 2012.