Written by Diana Arzuza Buelvas, Curator of Entomology & Lucy Edematie, Curator of African Collections from Colonial Contexts, Manchester Museum, The University of Manchester.
Manchester Museum cares for more than 4.5 million items across humanities and natural sciences. Approximately 40,000 came from the continent of Africa. Gaps and silences in the museum records mean that collections are often under-provenanced. When places and communities of origin are listed, they are not always accurate. And while we learn the names and opinions of donors and collectors, the records do not reflect the voices and perspectives of communities from which items were taken.
Inspired by ‘Ubuntu’ an African philosophy centred on connectedness, justice and reconciliation, Manchester Museum and African community partners are collaborating on a project funded by The John Ellerman Foundation. Titled Ubuntu: A Connected Approach to African Collections from Colonial Contexts, the project seeks to:
- Reconnect African collections with communities for whom they are important.
- Provide a framework to facilitate collaborative research between the Museum and African partners based locally and further afield.
- Develop long-term relationships with African community partners. These communities are important not only as co-researchers, but also as voices shaping the future of African collections and their interpretation in museums.
