Summary

The Bragge Collection features two intimately connected components – more than 600 material culture artefacts collected and documented by Laurie Bragge, and his library containing various resources, which he has used extensively to write his multi-volume history of the Sepik.

Laurie Bragge spent more than 45 years living and working in Papua New Guinea after taking a job with the Australian administration as a Patrol Officer (aka Kiap) in 1961. During this time he developed a deep appreciation and respect for Papua New Guinea, its culture and peoples. This generous donation has been gifted to James Cook University to facilitate further research into this diverse and fascinating tropical region and the societies that call it home.

The material artefacts in the Bragge Collection are curated by the Discipline of Anthropology, Material Culture Collection (College of Arts, Society and Education), and housed in The Cairns Institute on the Cairns Campus. To enquire about these items, please contact Professor Rosita Henry (Rosita.Henry@jcu.edu.au).

The library component of the Bragge Collection is the personal research library of the donor, Laurie Bragge. It consists of published and unpublished materials, all utilised in the production of his history of the Sepik.

There are over 550 publications covering a range of subjects pertaining to Papua New Guinea and the donor's research interests. The subjects used in the library listing have largely been assigned by the donor and include PNG Pacific & World History, Primitive Art, Religion and Sepik Anthropology. The published materials from the library component of the Bragge Collection are available for consultation in the Cairns Campus Library Special Collections. Email specialcollections@jcu.edu.au to arrange an appointment.

The unpublished materials in the Collection, which includes the history of the Sepik written by Laurie Bragge, are currently not available for viewing. These materials range in type (eg official reports, personal correspondence, oral history transcripts, photographs) and include Patrol Officer Reports produced by Laurie Bragge whilst he was an Australian government employee to his personal diaries kept over many decades and his photographs. An outstanding feature is the two volumes of transcribed oral histories collected from Sepik elders by Laurie Bragge and the associated index he has created to accompany them. These materials are known to contain a range of sensitive content, therefore they will enter a process of "discovery and description", prior to the Library seeking expert advice on appropriate access conditions.

Listing of the library component of the Bragge Collection

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Listing of the material culture component of the Bragge Collection

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