Скачать или смотреть A Matter of Trust: Dayaks & Z Special Unit Operatives in Borneo 1945

Before the Second World War, many Australians had never heard of Borneo. But in 1945 the large south-east Asian island, with its remote jungles inhabited by indigenous Dayak groups, became a key Australian battleground.

The Japanese invaded Borneo in 1941 and proved to be brutal occupiers. Despite the risks involved, local populations began supporting the Allies.

Covert Allied operations were organised to insert trained operatives behind enemy lines to gather intelligence and train and arm local peoples, many of whom had already been conducting guerrilla warfare against the Japanese. The highly trained operatives, most of whom were Australians serving in Z Special Unit, lived and worked in difficult jungle terrain at constant risk of discovery by the Japanese, and depended heavily on support and assistance from the Dayaks.

This exhibition explores the work of Z Special Unit operatives in Borneo and the relationships they developed with the indigenous populations. In the face of discovery and Japanese reprisals, Dayaks and operatives discovered surprising affinities and formed remarkable alliances.

The exhibition has been developed in partnership with the Australian National University with the support of the Australian Research Council.

Exhibition Co-Curated by Professor Christine Helliwell of the Australian National University and Robyn van Dyk Head of the Research Centre Australian War Memorial.