The hidden histories of exploration exhibition

Lone, heroic explorers

Individual adventurers who are often seen as brave and independent

go-betweens

Intermediaries who facilitate communication or trade between groups.

Interpreters

People who translate spoken language between different speakers.

standard histories

Commonly accepted or traditional historical narratives.

Fundamentally collective

Inherently involving a group effort rather than being individualistic.

rationale

The reasoning or justification behind something.

storehouse

A place where things are collected and stored.

Impulse to collect

A strong motivation or drive to gather and preserve items.

visual record

A collection of images that document an event or history.

Archival research

Study based on examining historical documents and records.

Porters, soldiers, translators, cooks, pilots, guides, hunters, collectors

Various roles people played in supporting explorers.

potential dangers

Possible risks or threats.

uncharted territories

Areas that have not been mapped or explored.

bargaining position

The leverage or power one has in a negotiation.

dominated by

Controlled or heavily influenced by.

recruiting station

A place where people are enlisted for work or service

expedition parties

Groups organized for exploration or research.

scientific evaluation

The process of assessing something using scientific methods.

veracity and reliability

Truthfulness and dependability.

Working partnerships

Collaborative professional relationships.

knowledgeable intermediaries

Well-informed mediators between two groups.

forged close working relationships

Built strong professional connections.

highly charged

Emotionally intense or significant.

transitional moment

A time of change or transformation.

identity tags

Labels used for recognition or identification.

living history

A perspective that sees history as still relevant and impactful.

guided and protected

Provided direction and safety.

Received surprisingly little attention

Not given enough focus or recognition

alternative view

A different perspective or way of looking at something

anything but “alone”

not alone at all; the opposite of being alone

storage of geographical information

The process of preserving location-based data.

merely dependent on

only reliant on

difference between life and death

a crucial factor in survival

portrayed themselves as

represented themselves in a certain way

routine procedures for cross-checking

standard methods for verifying data

act as brokers

serve as mediators