Summary

In this unique recorded interview, Laurie Bragge describes a pivotal moment from his youth, of finding something unexpected while digging up potatoes for pocket money, and how this influential experience, which led to an exceptional exchange of artefacts with the Mount Hagen District Commissioner, set in motion a life-long passion for Papua New Guinean material culture and history.

Bragge shares intimate details of his time working as a Kiap (Patrol Officer) in Papua New Guinea, provides glimpses at some of the hundreds of artefacts collected across his 45-year-long career and tells stories of how such important items came to be in his care.

Senior Curator, Trish Barnard offers insights into the significance and variety of items in the Bragge Collection and shows evidence of the extensive research and documentation conducted by Bragge while working in the field.

Bragge expresses a dutiful commitment to telling the stories of the people of Papua New Guinea as he describes his work alongside them and how he used his time as a Kiap to conduct interviews which he tape-recorded, translated and transcribed - so that now, in his retirement, he may continue his devoted efforts to writing Sepik history.