Commemorating national cultures at Cameroon’s Museum of Civilizations

Abstract

Of the 20 private museums recognized by the Cameroon government, the Museum of Civilizations, Dschang (Musee des Civilizations, MDC) stands out as a hub of national cultures, despite its poor visitation and low visibility. Conceived in 1996 and inaugurated in November 2010, MDC was located at the heart of Dschang town in the West Region of Cameroon (Central Africa). Its central theme is man at the heart of his cultural identity for a dialogue of civilizations. Today, MDC faces fierce challenges as it memorializes the cultures of the Fang- Beti-Bulu, Sudano-Sahelian, Grassfields and Sawa peoples of Cameroon. This paper revisits MDC among other things, as a melting pot of Cameroonian cultures and regional identities. Our central question is: “how, despite its multiple challenges, does MDC successfully memorialize Cameroon’s four principal cultural areas?” While cultural representations remain central, concerns of identity, research and the teaching of museology have also been highlighted. A blend of qualitative research, iconography and ethnography, analyzed on the basis of content, chronology and participatory observation, provide the methodological grounds for our findings. The Museum of Civilizations not only commemorates the cultures and civilizations of Cameroon and the Central African sub-region in general, but also provides an ideal hub for culture tourism, education and research.