CAG on museums: The future of ethnographic museums

Wooden feeding funnel, or korere, elaborately carved with figures in relief on each side and at rear. The carvings are almost in the style of a Taranaki figure. Previously part of the Allan Museum collection. 18th century, and possibly one of the earliest korere in a European museum collection

Being excited for a conference is not my normal state of mind about extra-curricular academic work/networking, but when a conference is specifically about ethnography museums and their future I am heavily invested and deeply interested in all of the discussions and debates that might come up. I have very recently been told that ‘ethnographers are a dying breed’ and sometimes it does seem like this is true. On the other hand, with an increasing amount of students taking part in postgraduate courses in the UK related to Museum Studies, Museum Anthropology and Visual Culture Studies, there is certainly not a dying interest in ethnography and studying cultural anthropology in the museum in any way, but with government cuts to arts funding, there are certainly many fewer positions available in museums.

A fine and rare Cree moose-hide coat, the back with painted rectangular panel of dotted winged motifs in red and black. Originally part of the Darlington Museum collection. Hudson Bay, York Factory.  Maker- Sehwahtahow 1786

The upcoming conference on 'The Future of Ethnographic Museums' taking place 19-21 July 2013 at the Oxford University Pitt Rivers Museum intends to cover questions that have been raised about the modernity of ethnographic museums and whether new audiences can be attracted or not. Alongside the seeming decline in the promotion of ethnographic collections and their specialists, there is also the age old criticism of ethnography museums perpetuating a distinction between “us” and “them”, a fraught history of collecting, and the lack of 21^st century interpretation of cultural material.

The five year project being run by the Ethnography Museums and World Cultures (EMWC): A European Project is funded by the European Commission and has sought to answer questions that have been put to major ethnographic museums about their global role in contemporary society. Many museums have reacted to criticisms and have been self-reflective about their practice for many years. Museums in Australia have endeavoured to include Indigenous Australian interests in collections interpretation and displays. Many museums such as Manchester Museum have employed repatriation policies that enable indigenous groups to petition for the return of valuable ancestral objects.

A Hawaiian feather cape, or 'aha'ula, with winged motif. Triangles and border of yellow feathers on a scarlet ground of feathers, all on a vegetable fibre base. 1834

The Pitt Rivers 'Future of Ethnographic Museums' conference is the last in the series of EMWC workshops, conferences, and conversations that aim to “to stimulate debate about ethnographic museums in the post-colonial period and to envision new ways of thinking and working in those museums in the future.” I’m very interested to see the kinds of debates and discussions that are sparked by this conference, and hope that there will be a lot of examples of how these museum professionals are adapting their practice with ethnographic collections today.