![Sample our Politics & International Relations journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5947/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Politics-International-Relations.jpg"})
Abstract
This article discusses representations of ‘nationhood’ at National Museums of Kenya (NMK) and community peace museums (CPMs). The representations range from a virtual absence of exhibitions on nationhood to exhibitions of cultural objects associated with specific ethnic groups and commemoration of local and/or national heroes. The representations at NMK appear to be informed by the expressed and/or assumed wishes of the country's political leadership. As such, the social memory they evoke has suffered episodic interruptions through time. On the other hand, representations at CPMs are, to a large extent, informed by influential individuals or small sections of the community and tend to concentrate on the ethnic group within which they are located, thus articulating local as opposed to national issues. This situation contributes to contestations of ‘nationhood’ in Kenya, a phenomenon that has come to the fore with every general election since the re-introduction of multi-party politics 20 years ago and, in particular, with the 2007/08 post-election violence.
Notes
The bill that became the Act was drafted by NMK with the assistance of a private law firm and the Attorney General's office. Preparation of the bill was a component of the turn of the century's European Union funded restructuring process. As conceived by NMK, the bill prohibited use of the word ‘museum’ except by NMK, which explains why the Act does not provide for appeal where a non-state museum is denied registration. This author then headed NMK Division of Archaeology and witnessed the unfolding of these events.
NMK is established under the National Museums and Heritage Act, 2006. It is responsible for managing all state-owned museums, sites, and monuments located in different parts of Kenya. Also under NMK is the Institute of Primate Research that conducts primate ecology and biomedical researches. Besides mounting exhibits and displays for public viewing, NMK is responsible for conducting research in various academic disciplines (see http://www.museums.or.ke/content/blogcategory/44/83/).
The Coryndon Memorial Museum was renamed National Museum in 1964 (MTK 1963/64). Subsequently, the museum was renamed Nairobi Museum and more recently Nairobi National Museum. It is not clear when the s in ‘National Museums of Kenya’ was added.
UNESCO website http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?pg=00002 (accessed 21 July 2010).
These included three visits by CPMs' curators to Lari, Akamba and Agikuyu Museums sponsored by a British Academy award to Lotte Hughes and this author. Other forums are Teachers' Workshops run by Lari Memorial Peace Museum, and peace education in primary and secondary schools conducted by Waihenya Njoroge and Njiru Njeru, curators of Lari Memorial Peace Museum and Aembu Peace Museum, respectively.
UNESCO website http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?pg=00002 (accessed 21 July 2010).
Ibid.
Rift Valley was one of eight administrative provinces into which Kenya was divided. The new constitution divides Kenya into 47 counties, thus abolishing the provinces (Republic of Kenya Citation2010).
Until fairly recently, the Mbeere belonged to the Embu ethnic group. According to Embu informants, the present Mbeere identity is a consequence of deconstruction of the Embu ethnic group by a family that has dominated the area's politics since the 1950s (Karega-Munene Citation2010). This author was privy to the exhibit script; it did not include Mbeere artefacts.
As with the Embu, the Meru ethnic group has in the recent past been deconstructed into the Meru, Tigania, Chuka and Tharaka identities reflected in the photographic exhibit. It is unclear whether the choice of photographs was made by the exhibit's scriptwriter or by the technicians who built the exhibit.
The designation ‘curator’ at NMK and CPMs is used for staff who are in charge of a museum. Except in a few instances, curators are generally high school graduates often without professional training but with considerable experience as research assistants.
Timothy Gachanga, curator of the Akorino Peace Museum, during curators' visit to Akamba Peace Museum, 6 February 2010.
Waihenya Njoroge, curator of Lari Memorial Peace Museum, during curators' visit to Lari, 12 September 2009.
The mud- and-thatch Aembu Peace Museum was broken into in February 2009, resulting in loss of objects. Since March 2009 the remaining objects have been in storage as a new brick and mortar museum is constructed. It is expected the building will be ready for occupation by June 2011.
Munuve Mutisya, curator of Akamba Peace Museum, during curators' visit to his museum, 6 February 2010.
Memorandum on ‘The status and functions of the national museums’ by RH Carcasson, director of the National Museum, 16 January 1966, NMK Archives.
Similar sentiments were echoed recently by the Taskforce on National Heroes and Heroines in an unpublished report titled ‘Report of the taskforce for country-wide data collection on criteria and modalities of honouring national heroes and heroines’, which reasoned that ‘all communities [i.e., ethnic groups] took part in Mau Mau activities in different ways. Some were in the forest fighting while others were manufacturing guns for the fighters. There were also people and communities who gave refuge to the Mau Mau leaders’ (TNHH unpublished:12).
Richard Leakey, interviewed at Nairobi, 3 August 2010.
Leakey, ibid.
Leakey, ibid.
Leakey, ibid. Whereas President Jomo Kenyatta distanced himself from Mau Mau and urged Kenyans to forget the past, he was not averse to entertainment by ex-Mau Mau. This author recalls witnessing dramatised enactments of Mau Mau struggles as part of the entertainment for the president and his entourage at State House, Nakuru, and at some public rallies in present-day Nakuru county.
Daily Nation 14 September 2010. Vision 2030 is Kenya's blueprint for development by 2030. It aims at transforming Kenya into a newly industrialised middle-income country by 2030. The Vision is ‘anchored on three key pillars: Economic; Social; and Political Governance’. The social pillar ‘seeks to create just, cohesive and equitable social development’, which certainly requires knowledge of Kenya's history (Republic of Kenya Citation2007:vii).
Richard Leakey, interviewed at Nairobi, 3 August 2010.
These were designed and developed by Somjee who graciously invited this author to their previews.
‘The Asian African Heritage, Identity & History: A Photo Exhibition’ organised by NMK and the Asian African Heritage Trust, anonymous (n.d.).
This author attended the initial meeting (at Somjee's invitation) where officials of the Asian African Heritage Trust and NMK administration discussed plans for the exhibit.
Waihenya Njoroge, remarks during tour of Lari Memorial Peace Museum exhibit, 13 October 2010.