Independent Museums and Culture Centres in Colonial and Post-colonial Zimbabwe : Non-State Players, Local Communities, and Self-Representation

"Independent Museums and Culture Centres in Colonial and Postcolonial Zimbabwe presents case studies that grapple with the issue of 'decolonising practice' in privately owned museums and cultural centres in Zimbabwe. Including contributions from academics and practitioners, this book focuses on privately-run cultural institutions and highlights that there has, until now, been scant scholarly information about their existence and practice. Arguing that the recent resurgence of such museums, which are not usually obliged to endorse official narratives of the central government, points to some desire to decolonise and indigenise museums, the contributors explore approaches that have been used to reconfigure such colonially inherited institutions to suit the postcolonial terrain. The volume also explores how privately-owned museums can tap into or contribute to current conversations on decoloniality that encourage reflexivity, inclusivity, de-patriarchy, multivocality, community participation and agency. Exploring the motives and purpose of such institutions, the book argues that they are being utilised to confront deeply entrenched stigmatisation and marginalisation. Independent Museums and Culture Centres in Colonial and Postcolonial Zimbabwe demonstrates that postcolonial African museums have become an arena for negotiating history, legacies, and identities. The book will be of interest to academics and students around the world who are engaged in the study of museums and heritage, African studies, history and culture. It will also appeal to museum practitioners working across Africa and beyond"-- Provided by publisher Independent Museums and Culture Centres in Colonial and Postcolonial Zimbabwe presents case studies that grapple with the issue of ‘decolonising practice’ in privately owned museums and cultural centres in Zimbabwe. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Page 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Contents 6 List of figures 9 List of contributors 11 Preface 15 Acknowledgements 18 List of abbreviations 19 1. Introduction: Museum diversity in Africa: museums, related exhibitionary institutions and non-state players 20 PART I: Colonial Museology, ‘Un-inherited Pasts’ andDecolonial Possibilities 56 2. Saving modern heritage: The National Railways of Zimbabwe’s Railways Museum, Bulawayo 58 3. Legacies of the British empire: Remembering Rhodes at the Rhodes Nyanga Historical Exhibition, eastern highlands of Zimbabwe 70 4. Colonial wounds and the demand for social justice: The case of the Murray MacDougall Museum 80 5. Museums in small places: The Milton High School Museum, Bulawayo 90 6. Colonial vestiges, difficult heritage, and the post-colony: Rescuing Ian Smith’s collections at the Gwenoro ecomuseum, Shurugwi 98 PART II: Liberation Heritage, Museum-Making,and New Narratives 108 7. African liberation heritage in the post-colonial period: The museumisation of Joshua Nkomo’s house in Bulawayo 110 8. Liberation heritage and ‘patriotic history’: Preserving the legacy of the ‘soul of the nation’ at KwaVaMuzenda House Museum 120 PART III: Independent Players, Communities,and Cultural Rights 132 9. Independent living museums, intangible heritage, and sustainability: The Kambako living museum, Chiredzi 134 10. Local narratives and decolonised knowledge production at Amagugu international heritage centre, Matobo district 146 11. Cultural restoration, self-representation, and community development: A case study of Paiyapo arts development and heritage centre, Chipinge 156 12. African aesthetics and decolonial aesthesis: Revisiting the art and non-art debate at the independent art museum in Masvingo 167 13. Towards community-driven curatorship: Traditional chiefs and cultural connoisseurs at the Avuxeni community museum, Chiredzi South district 177 Index 188 Independent,Museums;,Culture,Centres;,Museums;,Zimbabwe;,Cultural;,Culture;,Practice;,Decolonisation;,Postcolonialism;,Inclusion;,Community;,Participation;,Agency;,History;,Legacy;,Identities Independent Museums,Culture Centres,Museums,Zimbabwe,Cultural,Culture,Practice,Decolonisation,Postcolonialism,Inclusion,Community,Participation,Agency,History,Legacy,Identities Independent Museums and Culture Centres in Colonial and Post-colonial Zimbabwe presents case studies that grapple with the issue of ‘decolonising practice'in privately owned museums and cultural centres in Zimbabwe.Including contributions from academics and practitioners, this book focusses on privately run cultural institutions and highlights that there has, until now, been scant scholarly information about their existence and practice. Arguing that the recent resurgence of such museums, which are not usually obliged to endorse official narratives of the central government, points to some desire to decolonise and indigenise museums, the contributors explore approaches that have been used to reconfigure such colonially inherited institutions to suit the post-colonial terrain. The volume also explores how privately owned museums can tap into or contribute to current conversations on decoloniality that encourage reflexivity, inclusivity, de-patriarchy, multivocality, community participation, and agency. Exploring the motives and purpose of such institutions, the book argues that they are being utilised to confront deeply entrenched stigmatisation and marginalisation.Independent Museums and Culture Centres in Colonial and Post-colonial Zimbabwe demonstrates that post-colonial African museums have become an arena for negotiating history, legacies, and identities. The book will be of interest to academics and students around the world who are engaged in the study of museums and heritage, African studies, history, and culture. It will also appeal to museum practitioners working across Africa and beyond.