The Courier

Presentation of masks, Bandjoun Museum, Grassland, Cameroon.

© Projet de musées du Grassland

Tangible or not, a country's heritage is a key component of its identity and so public authorities have a moral obligation and a duty to ensure that the echos of the past are well and truly safeguarded. Fully aware of this responsibility to be keeper of the “voices” that once were Cameroon, the country is now making significant strides to ensure the legacy of the past is preserved.

At a memorable General Assembly on Culture, Cameroon's Ministry of Information and Culture adopted a series of resolutions and commitments to promote the viability of the nation’s heritage. [1]

However, it was back in 1980, in association with the Office for Overseas Scientific and Technological Research, and the University Research Assistance Fund that the Ministry decided to launch a wide-ranging heritage inventory research programme. This initiative paved the way for the creation of structures which later became information, education, training and research centres. [2]

As a result, Yaoundé, Douala and certain parts of West Cameroon boast one or two museums, art galleries and monuments and these have assembled miscellaneous collections of natural resources (ethnography, local and regional history, geography, natural history and the visual arts). In addition, as part of its policy for acquiring contemporary works, the Ministry of Culture has launched competitions in the field of creativity.

Despite activities already underway and the wealth resources made available, the museum-related network is still in an embryonic stage. Across the country, only 15 museums are actually operating (with over half in private hands) and some of these hardly deserve such a description.

Complacency

Indeed a culture of complacency seems to have crept into the administration of public museums, despite all the resolutions that were so enthusiastically agreed upon in the initial stages and this has been exacerbated by on-the-ground difficulties. Cramped conditions, equipment shortages and tight budgets have all affected the smooth management of the museums. Other problems and setbacks include climate control systems, effective educational services, the collection and transport of exhibits and the creation of libraries with specialist scientific and other specialities. Due to these shortcomings, exhibits are often exposed to wear and tear and are stored in less than ideal conditions. In addition, the museums have had to struggle to recruit qualified staff and consequently the system isseriously lagging behind in terms of conservation and restoration. As a whole, all these problems and challenges sowed seeds of doubt about whether there was any real point in creating these sorts of institutions in Africa.

Fortunately, these misgivings were quickly dispelled during a meeting of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in Ghana in 1991 (What Museums for Africa? Heritage in the Future), which helped boost a museum culture in Africa. Today, international agencies are taking steps to help these countries make a genuine effort to meet the challenges they face. For Cameroon, it is up to the culture professionals involved to put into practice recommendations for paving the way towards an effective collection and conservation system; a system that not only guarantees the nation's cultural heritage but ensures that it is better promoted and marketed to reach its target audiences.

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[1] Proceedings of the General Assembly on Culture, Yaoundé, Congress Palace, Ministry of Information and Culture, 23-24 August 1991, pp. 54-55

[2] Bulletin Zamani, 1993, No5/6, p.8