First Nations peoples are advised that the Cook and the Pacific exhibition, and its web pages, may contain images, depictions, voices, and names of deceased persons, and images of cultural objects that may be considered culturally sensitive.

Imagine what it would have been like in the 18^th century to sail oceans far away from home, spending long periods of time at sea, then occasionally meeting the inhabitants of foreign lands and experiencing a bit of their culture too. 

It’s a variant of travel many aspire to these days, albeit with the convenience of present-day technology, speed and long-distance communication, as well as information about where we’re going ahead of time. But have you ever wondered how it felt to set off in the days when map making was still an art form? Or what it was like to be visited by people you’d never seen before who came unannounced in a ship bigger than you’d ever dreamed of?

To find this out from captain James Cook, his crew and some of the people they met, head along to the National Library of Australia, Canberra, and enjoy their current exhibition called Cook and the Pacific.

www.nla.gov.au/exhibitions/cook-and-the-pacific 

Dr Susannah Helman is co-curator of the exhibit, and in her words you’ll see “an amazing array of material that dates from Cook’s voyages; things that are rarely seen in Australia, really unique manuscripts in the handwriting of people who sailed with Cook, and Cook himself, but also objects made by the Pacific people they met.”

For example, “there’s a chief mourner’s costume that was collected by Cook in the 18th century in Tahiti,” something made by hand and used in ceremonies. This is one of the many “extraordinary objects that are stunning and mean a lot to people in the Pacific today as well.”

There are also objects the travellers used, 10 portraits by William Hodges who was the artist on the second voyage, and much more.

To create the exhibition, they have contextualised the NLA’s own collection with objects borrowed from around the world.

Some are from other libraries, museums or galleries, and some items have come from private collections, so it is the only time you are likely to see all these pieces together.

It also takes some very specific care to continue preserving these artefacts. 

More than simply not being handled unnecessarily, Dr Helman also explained that some items need to remain at a certain temperature and even the humidity level needs to be monitored to avoid deterioration.

Language is another feature of the exhibition through voice recordings. Four major manuscripts have been brought to life, as has a list of words used by First Nations communities that Cook and the crews visited.

Entry to the Cook and the Pacific exhibition is free and it is open from 10am to 5pm until February 10. See it as the National Library of Australia, Canberra.