Episode 3 of REMAINS: The Podcast was released today. This podcast documents the search for Banaban ancestor Teimanaia's missing skull, the ongoing impacts of Western colonialism and extractive industries, and the resilience of the Banaban people.
In this episode, we'll hear from Ken Sigrah and Stacey King, who have been researching the skull's disappearance for decades. They tell us about the man who took the skull, Dr. Eben Coleman Gould, an American doctor working for the BPC.
Dr. Eben Coleman Gould was born in Massachusetts, moved to Australia around 1905 to practice homeopathic medicine, and took a job as Medical Officer on Banaba in 1918. In 1933 he left Banaba for the last time, traveled to Australia, Los Angeles, New York, and London before returning to Melbourne. He died alone in Melbourne with no children. We have his travel record and his will, and I've started a collection of all newspaper records mentioning Dr. Gould. But we haven't yet found anything about what he may have done with the skull.
This is Dr. Eben Coleman Gould, Matron Harkness, and Tekiera (back, far right), on Banaba. Image courtesy of the National Archives of Australia.
All Banabans are invited to share their stories about Teimanaia and Banaba on REMAINS. Please feel free to reach out to me, Janice Cantieri, if you'd like to share yours.
We're also hoping this podcast will help connect us with the right people to help bring Teimanaia home. If you have any leads or tips, please contact me. Finally, if you like the podcast, please subscribe and share it!
Thank you for listening!
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