ʔeləw̓k̓ʷ | Belongings: Design for Intangible Cultural Heritage
(2014 – 2015)
ʔeləw̓k̓ʷ | Belongings at cə̓snaʔəm Exhibition (Museum of Anthropology, UBC, Vancouver). Interactive tabletop with tangible artifact in activation ring (left, centre), and tangible “belongings" input objects on museum cart (right).
Team
Dr. Alissa N. Antle (Design Lead)
Dr. Kate Hennessy (PI, SIAT, SFU)
Dr. Susan Rowley (Director MOA, UBC)
Jordan Wilson (UBC graduate student/member xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Musqueam Nation)
Graduate Students:
Reese Muntean
Perry Tan
Rachael Eckersley
Brendan Matkin
Other Media
Learn more here
Project Summary
ʔeləw̓k ̓ʷ Belongings enables museum visitors to explore the continuity of Musqueam culture through interactions with replicas of “belongings" excavated from c̓əsnaʔəm, as well as contemporary objects that are a part of everyday Musqueam life. Through tangible interaction, visitors are presented opportunities to directly experience intangible elements of Indigenous culture, such as values, as well as access information about the long history of salmon fishing and the continuity of related knowledge at c̓əsnaʔəm. ʔeləw̓k ̓ ʷ Belongings was on exhibition for a year at the Museum of Anthropology, UBC, Vancouver, Canada.
Research Objectives
Explore how to design an effective and engaging interactive tabletop exhibit that enables visitors to experience intangible elements of cultural heritage.
Social Impact Goals
Enable museum visitors to experience aboriginal heritage, culture and values through interaction with archeological artifacts on a digital tabletop and wall-mounted displays.
Keywords
Tangible computing, digital tabletop, value sensitive design, indigenous media, intangible cultural heritage.
Technology
3D laser cut wood/acrylic objects, Microsoft Surface PixelSense, Unity 3D.
Community Partners
Museum of Anthropology (MOA) UBC, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nation, Vancouver, Canada.
Funders
GRAND NCE, NSERC, and SSHRC.
Awards
Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums, c̓əsnaʔəm exhibition, 2015. Role: Design lead for tabletop system ʔeləw̓k ̓ ʷ Belongings; Canadian Historical Association Public History Prize, c̓əsnaʔəm exhibition, 2015. Role: Design lead for ʔeləw̓k ̓ ʷ Belongings; Best Paper Ashgate Publishing Award, Electronic Visualisation and the Arts, 2015. Role: Co-author.