meet the team

“Objects have a powerful way of connecting people, thoughts and ideas. Objects can spark a range of important discussions not only focused upon the way the world is today, but also how it used to be, and how it might be in the future.”
— Elizabeth Bonshek, Principal Anthropologist

Elizabeth Bonshek

PRINCIPAL ANTHROPOLOGIST

A middle-aged woman with shoulder-length brown hair and glasses, wearing a pink and brown knitted sweater with a dotted pattern, standing against a plain gray background.

Elizabeth conducts Cultural Values assessments and Connecting with Country reports. Her work involves talking to Aboriginal people about their cultural values of place - past, present and future. 

Working with the appropriate Aboriginal knowledge holders is essential in this process.

After working with museum collections in Australia and discovering the exciting interaction between people and things she pursued a career in cultural heritage and anthropology.

Through her work and research in Australia and overseas interacting with a diverse range of people in countries such as Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, Elizabeth discovered new ways of perceiving the power of objects in everyday lives.

Elizabeth’s artefact

Person wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and blue jeans, with a multicolored woven bag on their shoulder.

“This bag was given to me by a close friend. I no longer use it daily, because it has become fragile. But it remains a strong connection to my friend and her life in a small rural village in Papua New Guinea.”