Fen de la Paz Reyes
PhD
Conservation
Fen (Carra) Reyes is an emerging objects conservator based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. A Filipino migrant with Ibaloi heritage, their project focuses on advocating for, and enacting practical solutions to help ensure the continued preservation and protection of the Ibaloi 'fire mummies' in the Philippine Cordilleran region. Reyes has a bachelor's degree in history and a Masters of Cultural Materials Conservation program at the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation. They hope to eventually specialize in the conservation of natural science and Southeast Asian collections, with a particular focus on decolonization and advocacy.
Contact:
- ORCID Profile
Thesis
Community, Collaboration, Conservation: Exploring Participatory Approaches in caring for the Ibaloi mummies of the Philippines
This thesis aims to build upon existing work done by this researcher in installing environmental loggers in known mummy burial sites in Kabayan, the Philippines by addressing issues of deterioration observed in the mummies. This research seeks to examine ways in which Indigenous knowledge and values can be combined with conservation theory and action in order to solve unique issues involving Indigenous heritage in a Southeast Asian context. By combining aspects of ethnographic study, Participant Action Research, stakeholder management, Australian Indigenous and decolonial studies, this research hopes to create tangible and sustainable benefits to the community whilst also developing a model for approaching Indigenous heritage management that can be applied in other contexts as well.