By Thomas Arnold, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University Wellington Museum and Heritage Studies Post Graduate (2025)
Most items we associate with protests are as subtle as a megaphone. Banners, badges, and placards openly display their creators' demands in slogans and popular symbols. However, some items demonstrate a more understated side of protest.
From suits and hard hats made to draw attention and symbolise the movement’s ideals, to menus and wreaths which satirise and subvert their subjects, these items reveal the diversity of ways people have made their voices heard. Other items reveal unexpected stories of the people involved in protests, such as a playgroup advertisement made in the midst of the 2021 parliamentary occupation.
The following kete presents eight items which subvert our expectations of what a protest item is.