Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 2, 1 August 1994 — 'Living cultures, living traditions' theme of museum conference, set for Sept. 21-24 in Honolulu [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

'Living cultures, living traditions' theme of museum conference, set for Sept. 21-24 in Honolulu

Museum professionals and cultural representatives from throughout the Western United States and the Pacific region will meet in Honolulu Sept. 21-24 for the annual conference of the Western Museums Association, at the Hawaiian Regent Hotel in Waikīkī. Reflecting the conference theme, "Living Cultures, Living Traditions," sessions will address such topics as: • cultural considerations in the care and conservation of ethnographic

objects and organic materials; • indigenous peoples in museums: cultural-ethical conflicts • Pacific voices on Pacific representation; • Science and technology joining with culture; • Traditional practices and nature conservation; • The indigenous artist as eonveyor of cultural messages; and • Inter-nation agreements (relationships between museums and indigenous peoples). The keynote speaker, following

a traditional performance of weleome by Hālau O Kekuhi, will be W. Richard West, Jr., director of the National Museum of the American Indian. He will speak on "Perspectives on Museums in the 2 1 st Century," whieh will examine the changing relationship between museums and native communities, and how museums of the 2 1 st eentury might appear and operate. To register or for more information, contact: Suzi Jones, Acting Assistant Director, Museums and Historical Organizations, National Endowment for the Humanities, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Rm. 420, Washington, D.C. 20506. Phone (202) 606-8284; FAX (202) 606-8557. Various financial aid programs are available for museum professionals and volunteers, and museums studies students. Registration fee for non-WMA members is $160. Full-time student registration is $60. Meals/ accommodations are separate. Deadline for registration is Sept. 2, 1994. the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is underwriting partial and full scholarships for native Hawaiians interested in attending the 1994 WMA conference. For more information and guidelines contact the OHA Culture Office, 711 Kapi'olani Blvd., Suite 500, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96813. Telephone (808) 594-1888, FAX (808)594-1865.