African Museums in the Making: Reflections on the Politics of Material and Public Culture in Zimbabwe

Description

One of the central theoretical and practical issues in post-colonial Africa is the relevance, nature, and politics at play in the management of museum institutions on the continent. Most African museums were established during the 19th and 20th centuries as European imperialists were spreading their colonial tentacles across the continent. The attainment of political independence has done little to undo or correct the obnoxious situation. Most African countries continue to practice colonial museology despite surging scholarship and calls by some Afro-centric and critical scholars the world over to address the quandaries on the continent's museum institutions. There is thus an unresolved struggle between the past and the present in the management of museums in Africa. In countries such as Zimbabwe, the struggle in museum management has been precipitated by the sharp economic downturn that has gripped the country since the turn of the millennium. In view of all these glitches, this book tackles the issue of the management of heritage in Zimbabwe. The book draws on the findings by scholars and researchers from different academic orientations and backgrounds to advance the thesis that museums and museology in Zimbabwe face problems of epic proportions that require urgent attention. It makes insightful suggestions on possible solutions to the tapestry of the inexorably enigmatic amalgam of complex problems haunting museum institutions in Zimbabwe, calling for a radical transformation of museology as a discipline in the process. This book should appeal to policy makers, scholars, researchers and students from disciplines such as museology, archaeology, social-cultural anthropology, and culture and heritage studies. Cover; Title page; Copyright page; List of Contributors; Contents; Preface; Chapter 1 -- Capturing the fading past and making nous of the present-future of African Museums: An introduction; Introduction; The state and (re- )making of Zimbabwean museums; A journey through the book; References; Chapter 2 -- 'Old wine in new bottles': A critical historiographical survey of Zimbabwean museum institutions; Introduction; The first museum institutions in Zimbabwe; New museum institutions in post-colonial period; Conclusion; References. Chapter 3 -- Community museums in Zimbabwe as a means of engagement and empowerment: Challenges and prospectsIntroduction; Understanding museums in Zimbabwe; Administration of museums in Zimbabwe; The birth of community museums in Zimbabwe; Programming in Zimbabwe community museums; Engagement and empowerment: Who is who?; Challenges of community museums in Zimbabwe; The future: Zimbabwe community museums; Conclusion; References; Chapter 4 -- 'Orphans in a strange land': Controversies and challenges in the repatriation of African cultural property from European museums; Introduction. Repatriation, return and restitution: Conceptual AnalysisBackground Information to Cultural Property Repatriation; Orphans in a strange land: How Africa has been denied the right to her cultural property?; The creation of Universal Museums as a way of silencing the voices of the owners and perpetuating cultural imperialism; Reversing the scenario: Placing Europe and America in the shoes of Africa; Critical reflections on Zimbabwe's stolen legacy; One of the exceptional success stories: The return of the lower part of the Zimbabwean Bird; How it all happened?: Unfolding the events. African museums challenges to repatriationConclusion; References; Chapter 5 -- Museum practices as perpetuators of an ideology: A Zimbabwean perspective; Introduction; Ideology: An overview; The emergence of colonial Rhodesian museum practice: Power and identity; Politics of representation: Segregation and exhibition; The influence of heritage and the rise of African nationalism; Nationalist heritage versus patriotic heritage; The dilemma of professional heritage practitioners; Conclusion; References. Chapter 6 -- 'A shadow that refuses to leave': The enduring legacy of colonialism in Zimbabwean museum governanceIntroduction; The concept of museum governance in Zimbabwe; The enduring legacy of colonialism in Zimbabwean museums; Museum governance in Zimbabwe: Tracing the problem to the root; The prospects of Zimbabwean museums; Conclusion; References; Chapter 7 -- Museums objects, relics and counter -- heritage practices in postcolonial Zimbabwe; Introduction; The disciplinary museum in Africa: A discourse on Rhodesia (Now Zimbabwe); The post-disciplinary museum: Museum objects in new settings.