The Japan–Zenadth Kes Project (JZK) was an initiative that reconnected Zenadth Kes communities with a significant body of research and scholarship produced by Japanese researchers over 50 years ago. The project responded to long-standing calls for the return of archival and research materials, grounded in strong and respectful partnerships with Traditional Owners.
It was guided by the belief that research remains alive when it is meaningfully connected to community and sustained through relationships between peoples, places, knowledge systems, and shared histories.
In collaboration with Gur A Baradharaw Kod and the National Museum of Ethnology (MINPAKU), the project translated, reinterpreted, and re-engaged Japanese archival research with Zenadth Kes communities. This work was shared through accessible outputs including an online publication, digital storytelling, exhibitions, and community-led events. Unless otherwise noted, photographic materials were credited to Professor George Ohshima and used with permission from MINPAKU.
A key outcome of the JZK Project was strengthening cross-cultural understanding by increasing awareness of Japanese research in Australia, while also deepening Japanese audiences’ appreciation of Zenadth Kes cultures and knowledge systems. The project’s first exhibition was held in Canberra from 13–22 June.
Project outcomes included:
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Improved access for Zenadth Kes communities to archival research through translation, republishing, storytelling, and community engagement
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Capacity building through training and employment of Community-Based Researchers
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Strengthening knowledge exchange between Elders and younger generations, centering Zenadth Kes voices and interpretations
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Documentation of environmental, cultural, political, economic, and infrastructural changes over the past 50 years
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Development of culturally appropriate protocols for the return, reuse, and archiving of research materials
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Exploration of innovative methods and technologies for ethical knowledge repatriation