Among the many cultural treasures within the Burke Museum collections is a full-size sailing outrigger canoe from the island of Chuuk in Micronesia. This canoe is not currently on display but will be part of the Ethnology exhibit of the new Burke opening 2019. The basis of our research was to understand and analyze how Chuukese knowledge about canoes was reflected in cultural aspects such as canoe design, songs, myths, and language. To deepen our understanding of the Chuukese canoe we researched cultural aspects through methods such as literature review, community interviews, and collections analysis. Our aim for our research was to give a greater understanding and contextualization in order to unlock the knowledge of the outrigger canoe from Chuuk within the Burke collection. Our hopes were that this research would give visibility to the Chuukese community as well as educate all Burke visitors and staff members.

The Marshall Islands are often recognized as the victims of US nuclear weapon testing, leaving a lot unsaid about who they are as a people. This dark past often times overshadows the resilience and ingenuity within the Marshallese culture. This research project is aimed to gain a better understanding of Marshallese culture through their canoes and navigation techniques. The way that they navigate and construct their vessels plays a large role in their lives; their voyages, their developed culture, language and livelihood. Our methods include interviewing Marshallese community members within Seattle, analyzing navigation articles, wave charts and using the Burke Museum collection database for information on Marshallese canoes. We anticipate that this project will result in the general public walking away knowing the strengths of the Marshallese and a better grasp of one of the cultures in Oceania that is often underrepresented. It is important to look into other cultures, especially those we do not know a lot about, because you can learn so much from them. We also anticipate making relationships with those we interview and by understanding the views and values of their culture. By the end we hope to have opened the door for future research in this realm to encourage people to explore this on their own and participate in clubs and organizations.

How is the representation of Yapese knowledge brought to the forefront of musuem spaces? How is Oceanic knowledge recognized as a way of life, through what Epeli Hau'Ofa draws from interconnectedness between community, family, and beyond the Western concept of Yapese outriggers being represented as: Just a boat? Our reserach dives into the history of the Yapese canoe, the spirituality behind its meaning, how it is constructed, and how the outrigger connects to resources and sustainability. Through interviews done with Yapaese youth and elder within the community, analyzing material culture, and participartory knolwedge through the emerison of Yapese dance, we were able to bring Yapese voice into the display that will be at the Burke Museum. We aimed to connect the modern knowledge we have today with the cultural context surrounding daily Yapese society. The importance behind bridging these two forms of knowledge is to expose and provide a deeper understanding to those who only have access to non-indigenous studies of the Yapese culture.

In Samoan culture the va’a alo, the word for canoe, represents Samoan culture and indigenous science. The relationship between the canoe and the people who continue to use them reflect Samoan mana (cultural spirit). To understand the meaning of the canoe, it is important to understand the complexity and interconnectivity between the va’a alo and the natural world as well as the activities of the people on and off the canoe. Much of the history and resources about the va’a alo that are accessible to students have been tainted by a colonial lens and we strive to counteract these practices and bring forward the beauty and relevance of indigenous knowledge connected to the va’a alo. Our research emphasizes the importance of how Samoan culture connects its people to the canoe. We examine the cultural significance of the canoe design and the role of each person on the canoe. To understand the Samoan canoe, we must also understand its people and cultural values as reflected in canoe practices. Our research methods include lived knowledge of ceremonies and spiritual beliefs as well as interviews with Samoan elders, analysis of mythology, tattoos, proverbs, siva samoa (dance), and published voyages. We are conducting this research to educate the Seattle public through the Burke Museum of the importance of indigenous canoes and their value in Samoan culture throughout history and still today. We hope our results will help current Samoan generations, and even non-Pacific Islanders, to keep in touch with their Samoan traditions and ancestors. Maintaining this indigenous knowledge for the future is also a prominent goal that we hope to pursue. We want to keep this Samoan and the traditions of the canoe alive.

Research Family is a group of Pacific Islander students who research a variety of topics including healthcare, education, and representation. In Spring 2017, Research Family explored connections between the movie Moana and the living cultures of Oceania, which many students are part of. In a video produced by the Burke Museum, they shared cultural knowledge within the Oceanic objects in the museum collections and how they are featured in Moana. Methods used includes analysis of material culture and film, and interviews with Pacific Islander community members. Material culture and film analaysis compared cultural objects in the Burke collections and those in scenes from Moana. Results were used to develop a video used in the Burke's educational programs. This project has been valuable in giving voice to Islander students in sharing their own perspectives and ancestral stories. For the symposium, a Research Family member will present this research so that knowledge within Pacific Islander communities and the Burke can continue to be made more accessible.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that afflicts over 65 million people worldwide. Novel investigational antiseizure drugs (ASDs) for epilepsy are frequently evaluated in the corneal kindled mouse (CKM) model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Methylcellulose (0.5%; MC) is a commonly used vehicle for the delivery of investigational ASDs because it facilitates solubilization of hydrophobic compounds. When administered by the oral (PO) route, MC is considered an FDA “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) compound. Though frequently used in preclinical studies, there is limited data pertaining to the tolerability of repeated intraperitoneal (IP) administration of MC. Our prior histopathology on a CKM that had received chronic IP administration of investigational ASDs delivered in MC revealed widespread accumulations of foam cells (e.g. macrophages) in the glomerular capillaries, liver sinusoids, spleen, choroid plexus, mediastinal lymph nodes, mesentery, and serosal surfaces of abdominal organs. Associated with the foam cell accumulations, there was varying attending inflammation and occasional secondary tissue necrosis. CKM may be more sensitive to MC because animals and humans with epilepsy exhibit increased sensitivity to chemical compounds, but other studies in naïve rats (i.e., without epilepsy) who had received MC via the IP route have also previously demonstrated such foam cell accumulation. Thus this study tests the hypothesis that chronic administration of IP, but not PO, MC incites lesions in both sham-kindled and CKM. Male CF-1 mice (n=3-6/group) were sham-or corneal-kindled for 4 weeks. Mice were then treated with either 0.5% MC or sterile saline, administered by the IP or PO route twice weekly for 6 weeks. Mice were longitudinally examined during the chronic dosing period by a veterinarian blinded to condition. Animals were euthanized and tissues collected for histopathology following the chronic MC administration period. This study will thus define the tolerability of chronic IP MC administration in naïve mice and in CKM.