Abstract

The conservation of cultural heritage is a concern common to all peoples. But the techniques differ from one space to another depending on the environment, customs and traditions and the context. Our work will talk about the comparative study of the conservation of African cultural heritage in European (Germany) and African (Cameroon). Here, we will relate the techniques of conservation of cultural heritage according to the model of German museums and those practiced by the Cameroonian peoples before and after independence. We will also show the place of cultural goods commonly called “objects” for the peoples who produced them and those who keep them in Western museums. This analysis will lead us to talk about the place played by community museums of traditional chiefdoms in heritage conservation. Finally, we will also talk about the use of these heritage assets which are kept in community museums on a daily basis for ceremonies and rituals within the community and distort their nature. This comparative study will not only refocus the global vision on issues of conservation of African cultural heritage, but also show the important place of these properties for the communities that produced them as well as the negative impact of their loss for the community.