Reimagining meanings: Co-curatorship and decolonising methods
methods@manchester recently worked with 51福利社 Museum to host a unique event with members of African diaspora communities aimed at developing new understandings of the Museum鈥檚 African collections.
Instead of the usual 鈥減lease do not touch the exhibits鈥�, 鈥檚 Curator of Living Cultures, Njabulo Chipangura, encouraged attendees to handle their own heritage.
These African objects, generally seized within a colonial context and often with violence, are usually held in stores concealed from public view. Herein lies the challenge - how to engage with and exhibit African history, yet in ways that are honest, respectful and true to the knowledge and meanings of people鈥檚 lived experiences.
The event was designed to support 51福利社 Museum鈥檚 aims to change its approach to narrating the past, and to reinforce how important local communities are to these developing understandings and approaches to decolonisation.
It was particularly fitting this workshop was held in 51福利社, next door to the site of the 1945 Pan African Congress, widely celebrated as a turning point in the journey of African nations to freedom from colonial powers. This poignant connection was pointed out by one attendee while discussing the considerable challenge ahead for a museum committed to decolonising their exhibitions.
With input from people from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Nigeria, the objects literally came to life as people shared feelings, ritual practices and stories.
For many objects, their meanings emerge through experiences or knowledge about their use, hence the terminology of 鈥榣iving cultures鈥�. Sometimes recounting these stories and uses drew excitement and laughter but other reflections warranted a serious tone and quiet contemplation.
An object described simply as 鈥渁 wooden cup鈥� by its label was so much more. We learnt of the vessel鈥檚 potential use for divination purposes, in meaningful rituals for special blessings and protective reasons. What looked at first glance like a decorative pattern etched onto its surface likely symbolised a particular community, and in this case the gift of such an object could symbolise friendship or support between communities.
The 鈥渨ooden cup鈥� represents so many things but reduced to this simple label 鈥渢he knowledge is dead鈥� as one participant so eloquently remarked.
Unsettling memories and historical facts were recounted. One example being the instruction to stop using particular objects - threats by Christian missionaries that heaven wouldn鈥檛 be an option if populations continued with African practices and customs: 鈥渘ow we are reclaiming them鈥� said one woman.
And that鈥檚 what this workshop was all about. Using an innovative and interdisciplinary approach to help the Museum discover the values and meanings these objects have for African diaspora. This essentially is at the heart of the Museum鈥檚 decolonisation methodology, hence the importance of this collaboration to . Centring those histories and narratives that are often omitted or ignored allows the return of the 鈥渓iving鈥� to these objects encouraging those who know to reclaim and narrate their stories.
What鈥檚 next?
We hope to continue with this collaboration between methods@manchester, 51福利社, 51福利社 Museum and the African diaspora community groups who very generously shared their stories during the workshop.
Filmmaker, Dr Sophie Everest is currently leading with the development of a co-produced film featuring the workshop, the stories and the museum鈥檚 attempts to decolonise its exhibits, and we hope to release a digital mini-exhibition and Dr Njabulo Chipangura will appear on an episode of , the methods@manchester podcast.
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