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Role Of Museum In The Preservation Of Knowledge
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The
establishment of museum is significant in ay developing nation like
Nigeria where historical record provides a link between the past, the
present and the future.
The importance attached to ay museum object
derives its value in cultural and historical context which may span over
areas such as religion, education, politics, economy and warfare. It is
most unfortunate however, that many Nigerians to date have not yet
realised the importance of museums to the society.
To such people,
museums are associated with artificacts and monuments, which are
regarded as old and useless objects. Meant for incineration.
This
type of impression attached to museums has such affect that most of the
objects which would have been very useful in the general enlightenment
and education of the public suffer from deterioration.
The role of
museums in the preservation of knowledge – (A case study of National
Museum of Colonial History Aba which is the topic of this project) –
cannot be well treated if the concept of “knowledge†and “museums†are
not understood.
Knowledge is a philosophical concept.
The origin
is something which the early philosophers like plato, Aristotle and
Honer had tried through various approaches to trace. However, an
ordinary meaning of the word “knowledge†is “understandingâ€
“familiarity†gained by experienceâ€.
Although, simple proof shows
that knowledge is an impression or of what one had been or (remnants of
it). The impression of that object left in the brain or memory is the
idea of it, so idea is knowledge.
A museum is defined as a temple,
home, resort of the learned, an institution or repository for the
collection, exhibition and study of objects of artistic, historic,
scientific and educational interest.
2. “It is an institution
established to encourage the preservation and discovery of, as far as
possible, the deterioration and loss of objects treasured by the
society.
Museum originated with man’s interest in collecting,
accumulating precious, beautiful and curious objects. The oldest of such
collections were privately financed, made by the wealthy or by the
church.
Museums in general, do for objects what libraries and
archives do for books and Government records respectively. It is
necessary to stress here that the society does not tend to preserve her
objects just to hoard them, but to preserve them because of their
intellectual values.
It is pertinent to note that the most important
phenomenon which have influenced the direction of human development and
progress are scientific discoveries and warfare of these greater
attention has been paid to the preservation and presentation of
information relating to the former but less has been done concerning the
later. Yet information about scientific episodes and the development of
warfare are of equal importance if we are to have a balance view of the
course of human development and progress.
Man, from the prehistoric
times has always been inquisite. However, there should be no doubt,
therefore about the enormous role which historic museum have played in
the overall shaping of the society.
Unpleasant and horrible as
slavery may seem, the preservation of the relics of colonial history
efforts becomes the responsibility of every government that needs to be
informed about itself and of course the nation’s development.
The knowledge about human past activities ovide a soud foundation for present day action.
To
take no cognisance of this is to black out the past and there is no
known society that delights in doing so. It is in this context that the
establishment of National Museum of colonial history Aba finds its
justification.
The museum and the exhibitions therein, are aimed at
preserving the colonial history of Nigeria. The purpose of this work is
to enable the public see the historical events that took place before
Nigeria gained her independence.
1.2 THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSEUMS IN NIGERIA
The history of museums in Nigeria pre-dates Arab and European times.
During
these periods, various cultural materials of rival. Religious and
political importance were fashioned, conserved and preserved in temples
or traditional shrines and the palaces of kings and chiefs. Apart from
housing such cultural materials like ivory, bronze and carved wooden
objects, these institutions (temples, shrines and palaces) were
preserved as monuments in their own right.
Some natural features like caves (for example Ogbunike cave in Anambra state) were also maintained as monuments.
Persons
responsible for organising and preserving the cultural materials
included the head of each household, priests of various shrines and any
of the kings or chiefs officers.
In Igbo land, for instance, a head
of the household was in charge of his family’s temple. In such temple
cultural materials like iron or bronze amulets, wooden statue (Ikenga)
or images of deities were kept. The head of the household or (in some
cases) priests took care of ritual objects like iron gongs, ivory
trumpets, drums as well stone or clay images of deities are kept in the
shrines.
These heads or priests acted more or less as curators,
taking care of these objects.wooden and iron/bronze staffs, statues and
thrones, ceremonial regalia of past kings kept in the royal palaces were
taken care of by any of the king’s officers.
In these pre-colonial
museums, objects were preserved because of their utilitarian or symbolic
value. Some of the objects found in the shrines helped to “concretiseâ€
the deities.
However, the development of modern museums began during
the colonial period. In 1927, Mr. Kenneth Murray, an art teacher in the
British colonial service was appointed to advise the Government “on the
effect of the colonial education system on local arts†(Nzewunwa
1984:101). While performing the assignment Murray made a personal
collection of several Nigerian art forms. Later he advised the
government on the establishment of museums and the proclamation relevant
laws to prevent the illegal exportation of Nigerian works art (Murray
1966:32). However, because of the second world war, Murray’s
recommendations f or the establishment of museums in three centres in
Nigeria could not be implemented. Murray was therefore permitted to
continue with the purchase of a permanent centre for preservation of
cultural objects.
The Nigerian antiquities service was established on
July 28th 1943 in response to appeals by concerned Europeans like
Murray and Duck work, on education officer. In 1946, Mr. J.H. Bravnholtz
a keeper in the department of Ethnography of the British museum, was
sent to Lagos by the colonial office to advise the British Government on
the preservations of Nigerian cultural resources. In 1947, Mr. B.E.
Faggs, a trained archaeologist was appointed government archaeologist
and assistant surveyor of antiquities. Mr. Fagg carried out much
archaeological work in Jos Plateau and helped in the establishment of
the Jos museum in 1952 in which most of the archaeological materials
have been preserved to this day.
The then department of Antiquities
and the present National commission for museum and monuments saw to the
establishment of museums in different parts of Nigeria to preserve
Nigeria’s cultural objects. As of date there are 29 federal museums,
including museums in the making (i.e centres) in Nigeria, and at least
one in each state.
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 4]
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]The purpose of this study is to look at the role museums play in the preservation of knowledge.In doing this, the author tended to discuss briefly the general museum, making specific reference to the national museum of colonial history Aba.The study pinpoints some of the problems militating against the museum.It also examines the crucial and inevitable impacts of objects in knowledge preservation and also sees museum as a indispensable agency in the national development.Finally, the study goes o ... Continue reading---
