ANU Japan Zenadth Kes Project

21/05/2026

JZK Project exhibition is travelling! GOTAT | GUTHATH | 時代の潮目 | TIDES opened at the Gab Titui Cultural Centre at Waibene Lag in Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait) on Friday 15 May.

The exhibition opening was MCed by Torres Strait Regional Authority Culture, Art and Heritage Portfolio and Member for Mer, Mr Bob Kaigey, a Blessing given by Father Tom Stephen, Church of Torres Strait. We were Welcomed to Country by Kaurareg Elder Enid Tom. TSRA Chair Mr George Nona opened the event and speeches were given by ANU JZK Team representative Jacinta Baragud and ANU Yil L*l Studio’s Will Kepa and Dr Sara Kitaoji. Heartfelt impromptu speeches were offered by JZK’s Michael Passi and Yessie Mosby. Music was provided by Will Kepa, and singers from Mer and Mabuyag. We were watched over by a beautiful owl in the neighbouring mango tree.

A special event feature was the handing back to Meriam, Masig, Iama and Mabuyag representatives USBs of new recordings of old songs made 50 years ago by Japanese researchers Hironobu Kitaoji and Michiya Hata.

The crowd moved inside the cultural centre to enjoy the space - both galleries were full of photos from the National Museum of Ethnology’s George Ohshima Collection and private collections of late Hironobu Kitaoji, Hiroyuki Matsumoto and Shinpei Segawa made fifty years ago. A Thugul Makarr (model outrigger canoe) made by Yessie Mosby floated in the gallery inviting thoughts of waves, waters and ongoing traditions.

Koeyma eso, au esoau to ogleda Zenadth Kes communities, Gab Titui’s Leitha Assan and team, GBK Chair Ned David and Board member Mr Keri Akiba, TSIRC Mayor Philemon Mosby (in absentia) and Torres Shire Council Mayor Elsie Seriat, Rhonda Shibasaki, National Museum of Ethnology’s Professor Norio Niwa, AIATSIS and Dr Sara Kitaoji.

And well done ANU JZK team as always for dedication to doing an excellent job for community!

Following the exhibition an all star Zenadth Kes panel of JZK Team and GBK member discussed the process, the relationships and the insights behind the exhibition and project.

14/05/2026

Gotat | Guthath | Tides Exhibition ‘When The Wind Blows Workshop’.

All are welcome to come and participate in a warm and welcoming environment.

📅 Saturday, 16 May
⏰ 9pm - 1pm
📍Gab Titui Cultural Centre

To register, please call the Gab Titui Cultural Centre Gift Shop on (07) 4069 0888 or email [email protected] to nominate name/s.

14/05/2026

Boat ferry service for our exhibition opening tomorrow night at Gab Titui Cultural Centre

Hope to see you all there.

Come have a yarn with our team.

Gotat | Guthath | Tides Exhibition Ferry Services ⛴️

📅 Friday, 15 May
⏰ 5:30pm
📍Hammond Island Wharf ➡️ Horn Island Wharf ➡️ Engineers Wharf

Return Ferry Departs From Engineers Wharf
⏰ 9pm to Horn Island & Hammond Island

‼️Limited seats at the Exhibition. Registrations required.

☎️ 07 4069 0888 | 📩 [email protected]
📍 Corner Victoria Parade and Blackall Street, Thursday Island QLD 4875

08/05/2026

Exhibition Announcement

We are excited to share our upcoming Japan Zenadth Kes Project joint exhibition with Gab Titui Cultural Centre and the National Museum of Ethnology.

The JZK Project wish to sincerely thank Torres Strait Regional Authority for their support in making this exhibition possible.

The tides are rising at Gab Titui Cultural Centre.
🌊 Coming soon…..

We’re proud to announce the opening night of the GOTAT | GUTHATH | TIDES EXHIBITION.

Opening Night
📅 Friday, 15 May 2026
📍Gab Titui Cultural Centre

Limited seats. Registrations required:
☎️ 07 4069 0888 | 📩 [email protected]
📍 Corner Victoria Parade and Blackall Street, Thursday Island QLD 4875
🌐 shop.gabtitui.gov.au

10/04/2026

31/03/2026

Terrific to learn about fellow AJF grantee projects in Japan, thanks to the Australia Japan Foundation and Embassy of Japan in Australia for supporting our activities.

Embassy staff attended the AJF roundtable which brought together many dedicated organisations driving 🇯🇵🇦🇺relations forward & bridging research ties such as the JSPS Alumni Association of Australia (JSPSAAA). These meaningful connections inspire exchange & future collaboration. Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia-Japan Foundation

26/03/2026

Au esoau, koeyma eso TSIRC for the opportunity to present an update on the JZK Project; we are grateful for your ongoing support and look forward to future collaboration.

23/12/2025

23/12/2025

Merry Christmas and best wishes from the JZK project. Thank you for your support in 2025. It was deeply heartwarming and moving to spend time with many of you across Zenadth Kes. Stay tuned for more in 2026.

Last week was our final activity for 2025: Jacinta, Samantha, Michael, Julie, and Annick, with GBK Chairman Ned David were in Osaka for a symposium at the National Museum of Ethnology about the 1970s research of Professors George Ohshima, Yoshihiko Yabuuchi, Hironobu Kitaoji, Hiroyuki Matsumoto and their research team. It was productive and insightful and a great occasion for making connections and sharing across borders.

It was an honour to hear stories about Professors Ohshima and Kitaoji from the perspective of their daughters, Mrs Madoka Steingart, and Sara Kitaoji. Samantha, Michael and Jacinta also shared their personal perspectives about the project, the photos and, in Michael’s case, his family connection with Hironobu Kitaoji.

Special thanks to: Minpaku’s Professor Seki Yuji (Director-General) and Professor Fukuoka S***a (Deputy Director-General), Bec Allen (Australian Embassy), Professor Norio Niwa (organiser), Dr Sara Kitaoji, Dr Madoka Steingert and family, Rhonda Shibasaki (Thursday Island Wakayama Kenjinkai), Professor Taku Iida (Minpaku) and Emeritus Professor Mayumi Kamada (NUCB), Associate Professor Yuriko Yamanouchi (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies), Dr Ayane Kimura (Osaka University of Economics and Law).

Thanks for support from the Australia-Japan Foundation, Australian Research Council, Gur A Baradharaw Kod Torres Strait Sea and Land Council, Australian Studies Association of Japan and the Japanese Society for Oceanic Studies.

Arts & Social Sciences at ANU
Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies ANU

See the full program here: https://www.minpaku.ac.jp/en/ai1ec_event/65921

Again, best wishes from our team. Have a safe, joyful, and restful holiday season!

22/12/2025

In early December JZK project’s Julie Lahn participated in the symposium ‘You Are Not Alone: Indigenous Voices on Heritage and Repatriation’ hosted by 国立大学法人 北海道大学（Hokkaido University） Office of Global for Indigenous Studies and Cultural Diversity (GSI). Funded by the Australia-Japan Foundation. Organized by ANU’s Prof Pickering and GSI’s Professor Kato and Ms Hirose. Thanks to Arts & Social Sciences at ANU for funding my travel, fellow speakers and audience for sharing amazing and inspiring projects and translators for keeping the ideas flowing across cultural and language borders.