Abstract

In the framework of the joint research project PAESE, various forms of collaborative provenance research on the ethnographic collection at the Municipal Museum of Brunswick were realised. The research focuses on objects originating from the West, South- and Northwest Region of Cameroon brought to Germany by Kurt Strümpell. His involvement as a Colonial officer in colonial wars – so-called expeditions –, raises questions about the circumstances of the collecting process. Another important issue to address is the lack of information in the museum’s documentation of the object’s provenance as well as their function and significance during colonial times. Likewise, the significance of the objects for descendants at the former collecting locations as well as their future handling have to be taken into account.

In this paper, Rachel Mariembe and Isabella Bozsa present different approaches of re-engaging with the collection from a colonial context. We analyse the process of establishing our cooperation, discuss fruitful or difficult forms of collaborative provenance research and their outcomes. The biggest difficulty for our international work since March 2020 is the pandemic. Currently, we try to continue our cooperation virtually and develop together a possible engagement with the collection’s artefacts in the future. From two perspectives, we reflect upon the potential of collaborative research for decolonial approaches in museum practices and postcolonial provenance research.

Profile Rachel Mariembe

Rachel MARIEMBE is the Head of Department (a.i.) of Heritage and Museum Studies at the Institute of Fine Art of the University of Douala in Nkongsamba. As archaeologist, curator, museographer, she led the inventory of tangible heritage in 17 chiefdoms in West Cameroon, and participated in the realization of exhibitions in 7 Community museums known as “Case Patrimoniale” and at the Museum of Civilization, where she was Deputy Director from 2009-2013. Today Dr. Mariembe is Associate Curator of the Route des Chefferies exhibition, currently under development, at the Quai Branly Jacques-Chirac Museum entitled "On the Road to the Chiefdoms of Cameroon: From visible to invisible". She is also a national expert on the development of the UNESCO World Heritage site for the slave trade of Bimbia on the coast of Southwest Cameroon.

Selected publications

Joseph-Marie ESSOMBA, Cyrille Bienvenu BELA, Valère EPEE, Sali BABANI, Nadine Carole NGON, Flaubert TABOUE NOUAYE, Estelle PIOU, Clotilde DESCHAMPS, Rachel MARIEMBE, 2012, Les Civilisations du Cameroun, histoire, art, architecture, et sociétés traditionnelles, Éditions La Route des Chefferies, 223p.

Annette ANGOUA NGUEA & Rachel MARIEMBE, 2020, Art et mémorialisation historique dans les Fondoms : enjeux et perspectives, In Cyrille Bienvenu Bela, (Eds), Arts et émergences en Afrique, Éditions Cheikh Anta Diop.

Rachel MARIEMBE, 2017, Conservation du patrimoine culturel pour un développement touristique durable au Cameroun. Chapitre XX, pp 298-308, in Jules ASSOUMOU & Flora AMABIAMINA (Eds), Pour une culture africaine au service du développement, Des industries culturelles viables pour une croissance durable, Éditions AfricAvenir. 351p.