《大洋洲的艺术:鲜为人知的历史》(Art in Oceania:A new History)一书作者为尼古拉斯·托马斯(Nicholas Thomas),他是澳大利亚人类学家,剑桥大学考古学与人类学博物馆馆长,历史人类学教授。此书对过去和当代的大洋洲艺术起着启示作用,是为21世纪的研究需要应运而生的。本书的是一个团队合作的产物。编者团队包括一群有着欧洲和太平洋三大岛群血统的人类学家、艺术史学家和研究员。本文翻译了该书引言“恩古如的历史”一节。 Art in Oceania: A New History is written by Nicholas Thomas, an Australian anthropologist and curator of the Museum of Archeology and Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, Professor of historical anthropology. This book plays an enlightening role in the art of the past and the contemporary Oceania, which came into being for the 21st century’s research needs. This book is a product of teamwork. The editorial team consists of a group of anthropologists, art historians and researchers with the bloodlines of the three major groups in Europe and the Pacific. This translates the book’s introduction to the section “History of Nguru.”