East-West Center in the News

(2011-09-22) Asked about the Chinese reaction, Denny Roy, a senior fellow and expert on Asian security issues at the East-West Center in Hawaii, said: "I thought it was amazingly mild. It suggests that the U.S. and China have worked out a way of discussing these things in advance."

He and other analysts said the real impact on military ties would become evident in the coming weeks and months, as China and the U.S. are due to hold joint antipiracy exercises in the Gulf of Aden before the end of the year.

(2011-09-25) "In the exhibition you'll see photographs of her, taken by other people working in the field with her, as well as her field work of different people laboring in various crafts," said curator Dr. Michael Schuster.

... "She was an academic anthropologist and she wanted that information to be used in order to help people," Schuster said.

... "Nothing here is extremely valuable, in real terms. They're valuable because they're showing what people can do with their hands and how they can continue traditions of their life with the objects they make," said Schuster.

(2011-09-30) "We're trying to show the significance of her work by the objects and by the use of her own field photographs," said Michael Schuster, the curator of the exhibition. "As a young woman, she was always interested in craft and handwork."

... "These are everyday items," Schuster said. "These are not items that are unique or spectacular; they are everyday items of the people living in Indonesia during that time. I thought that would be beautiful to highlight."

... "If you look at all the photographs and items in here, you'll see how much importance she placed on the dignity of labor and people's labor," Schuster said. "Many of these people [in Indonesia] were very poor, and she felt that her anthropological work could help people."

... "I think it's the first time anyone's done an exhibition on Ann Dunham's work," he said. "It's the only exhibition as far as I know."

... "I want them to appreciate what Dunham appreciated about the dignity of people's labor," Schuster said. "I want them to really appreciate that and take that on with them in their own lives – and not only appreciate who she was, but what she saw."

(2011-10-02) (Access by subscription only. EWC and University of Hawaii Manoa users who cannot access article by clicking on the title may contact a librarian for help at ris@eastwestcenter.org or 808-944-7345)

East-West Center curator Michael Schuster said the exhibit was mounted in anticipation of November's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders meeting in Honolulu that will be attended by Obama and other heads of state.

"About two years ago, we knew the APEC conference was going to happen in Honolulu, so we thought it would be a good time to have an exhibit that showed off the scholarly sort of work we do here," he explained. "Why not have something on Ann Dunham, who did such interesting work in microfinance? We talked to Maya Soetoro-Ng, who was very supportive, and as luck had it, was sorting through her mother's things."

(2011-10-05) “It’s intense to see it all here. She died young so she never really had a chance to have a home,” says SoetoroNg, who was in town for the opening reception last weekend. “She envisioned a retirement that involved having people over, good food, good storytelling, being able to conjure from all her adventures. While much of it is lost, to see it all here together is a great gift to me. It is such an emotional experience for me.”

... “It resonates so much with me,” says Schuster, who spent two years gathering artifacts for the exhibit. “I love that nothing here is really valuable. She valued what people did for a living. The tools, when you see it all together with her photographs, she just showed such a love of process, that respect for human effort. It’s apparent in the totality of her work.”

... “She also saw it as a feminine cause. Aside from blacksmithing, most of the handicrafts were made by women,” says Soetoro-Ng. “It gave them a sense of empowerment in their own lives and in the lives of their children. She championed cottage industries, even while challenging the thinking of other anthropologists.”