Museums Association of Namibia

Read the full article here.

It has come to the attention of the Museums Association of Namibia (MAN) that an email has been sent to our members claiming to be from MAN.

Please note that this email is not from MAN and should be reported as spam. Please do not open the link.

As you are aware, a similar issue occurred with the report from the Past Present and Future of Namibia Conference, that was circulated and later published in a local newspaper as an official report from MAN, which it was not.

NB: In the future, please disregard any “correspondence” that claims to be coming from MAN if it does not have a MAN letterhead and is not sent to you directly from the email address. If you receive and document or email that claims to be from MAN and you cannot see any sign of it on our website or social media, kindly contact us to ascertain whether it is genuine or not.

The fraudulent email was as follows;

“From: Shivyawata Kgm <>
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2019 4:46 AM
Subject: Museums Association

Good day,

It is the good intention of The Museums Association of Namibia that you go through the attached document and give your suggestion on the issues as stated on the document, you are required to go through the documents and give your suggestions in the space on the form. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE DOCUMENT.
Please endeavor to return the form at your earliest convenience.

Museums Association of Namibia
P.O. Box 147, Windhoek Namibia”

Photo Album LinkThe Museums Association of Namibia (MAN) held its 29th Annual General Meeting in !Nami#Nus Constituency in the //Kharas Region on 6th-7th August. The meeting was attended by forty-two representatives of different museums and heritage institutions from all over Namibia who travelled south in a bus provided by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture. Participants travelled to Lüderitz from as far away as Ombalantu Baobab Tree Heritage Centre and the Kavango Museum in Rundu. The AGM was hosted in the auditorium of the new National Maritime Museum. The museum is still under construction, but one of the exciting parts of the AGM was the tour of the site provided by Mr Angel Tordesillas and Mr Fluxsman Samuehl.

The theme of this year’s AGM and Conference was the ICOM theme for International Museums Day - `Museums as Cultural Hubs’. People were welcomed to the AGM by the Deputy-Mayor of Lüderitz who thanked MAN for its reports which had provided recommendations for the town. She noted that whilst there was a saying that `Diamonds are Forever’, the fact was that the town had to prepare for a future where the diamond industry was no longer the main economic driver of the town’s economy. She spoke strongly about the important history of the town and how the town could benefit from heritage tourism. Mr Manfred Anderson gave an entertaining introduction to the history of the community and reflected on the importance of creating a museum on Shark Island.

The inspiring keynote address by the Deputy Executive Director, Ms Veno Kauaria (read by Ms Helvi Nghiimbwasha, argued that museums had a vital role to play in Namibia as educational resources that could help create greater mutual understanding between Namibians. She praised the work of the Museums Association of Namibia in supporting regional museum development. Ms Kauaria focused on the importance of recent changes in the museum sector in Germany. She pointed out that new guidelines on collections from “colonial contexts” had created opportunities for partnerships between German and Namibian museums that could involve training, the development of museum buildings and the possible return of cultural artifacts of particular cultural or historical importance.

One important panel at the AGM provided the opportunity for museum workers to give their opinions on where the Cape Cross (made in Portugal and erected on the Namibian coast in 1486) should be kept following its return from Germany. Presentations were given by the National Maritime Museum, the Cape Cross Museum, the National Museum of Namibia and the Swakopmund Museum. The three main factors that were considered were: Conservation considerations, Accessibility for visitors and the Context (in terms of positioning the padrao within a story-line).

The AGM also provided an opportunity for members to learn about new mobile exhibitions which were being produced by MAN, such as the Oombale dhi Ihaka travelling exhibition. Another panel introduced new regional museum projects with four new museums being showcased. A very interesting and animated round table discussion also took place about the role of museums in Namibia. The panelists were asked whether the concept of a museum was a `European’ one and, if so, whether museums had a role in Namibia.

The panelists confirmed that the idea of preserving our heritage was one that is found in all Namibian communities. However, they argued that we can still do more to develop Namibian museums to reflect the importance of linking objects to our intangible cultural heritage (such as oral traditions and music) and our cultural landscapes.

The AGM participants brainstormed on ways to make Namibian Heritage Week (16th-22nd August) successful in the regions. Mr Tuuda Haitula and Ms Ndapewoshali Ashipala led a lively and frank discussion about the retention of “human capital” in the museum sector. What are the challenges that museum curators face in their work and what can be done to retain professional staff Curators expressed their concern about the pay and conditions and the fact that they often operated in isolation. One of the many recommendations made was that every museum should have an Advisory Committee that would provide support and help with programming.

The AGM concluded with the election of four new members to join the MAN Executive Committee. Six candidates stood for election and presented their manifestos. The successful candidates were: Ms Ndeende Shivute (National Art Gallery of Namibia), Ms Naitsikile Iizyenda (University of Namibia), Mrs Chisengo Nikanor (Military Museum, Okahandja) and Mr Werner Hillebrecht (retired former head of the National Archives of Namibia). The AGM concluded with a tour of Kolmanskuppe Ghost Town (sponsored by NAMDEB), a visit to Diaz Point, a tour of the NovaNam fish factory and a visit to Shark Island. The tour was followed by a wonderful `Spanish Supper’ – a crayfish paella cooked in a massive pan that was shared by all the participants and several local dignatories.

If you require further information please contact: Ms Ndapewoshali Ndahafa Ashipala at .

Dear MAN Members and Museum Professionals

The National Museum of Namibia (in partnership with the Museums Association of Namibia and University of Namibia) are participating in a project funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation entitled Confronting Colonial Pasts, Envisioning Creative Futures. We invite applications for two contract posts of two years (with the possibility of extension):

Position: Conservator
Starting Salary: N$22,000pm (Gross)
Benefits: Housing Allowance
13th Cheque
Job Description: To be responsible for preventive conservation at the National Museum of Namibia and provide support and advice to regional museums.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Examining objects to determine the extent and cause of deterioration
• Reviewing storage conditions at the museum
• Developing creative solutions to clean, support and repair sensitive objects
• Completing and maintaining condition reports on objects
• Receiving and providing training on preventive conservation and conservation techniques for a range of materials

Requirements and Qualifications:
• A relevant degree in scientific conservation or related subject
• Willingness to receive further training
• Ability to work under pressure
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Willingness to travel

Position: Documentalist
Starting Salary: N$22,000pm (Gross)
Benefits: Housing Allowance
13th Cheque
Job Description: To document and digitalise the ethnographic collection of the National Museum of Namibia.

Your main responsibilities will include:
• To establish an object database with digitalised object information.
• To create professional photographs of artifacts.
• To establish a web site to provide virtual access to the collection.

Requirements and Qualifications:
• A relevant degree or diploma
• Excellent written and oral skills
• Proficiency in Excel and other database systems.
• Ability to work under pressure

• Willingness to travel

HOW TO APPLY
Email your CV and a one-page motivational letter to For the attention of: the Office Manager.
Closing date: Midnight, Friday, 30th August.
The subject line should read the position that you are applying for.

The Museums Association of Namibia would like to invite applications for two MA Scholarships in History at the University of Namibia. The project has been funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation. The successful applicants will work with museum artifacts from the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century.

DURATION
The scholarships will be for two years as part of the Confronting Colonial Pasts, Envisioning Creative Futures project.

REQUIREMENTS
1. The MA students will be expected to research the relevant communities about the oral traditions and histories associated with the objects.
2. Applicants will be expected to have a degree in history, visual arts or fashion design and
3. Be fluent in one of Namibia’s indigenous languages.

BENEFITS
1. The scholarship will cover tuition fees and
2. Provide a monthly stipend of N$10,000.00

APPLICATION PROCESS
1. Applicants should submit a copy of their cv (including contact details for two references) and
2. A letter of motivation.
3. Applications should be sent by email to For the attention of The Office Manager. The subject line should read the Application: MA Scholarship
4. The deadline for applications will be Midnight, Friday, 30th August 2019 

The Museums Association of Namibia (MAN) invites applications for a 1.5-year (18 months) contract (with the possibility of extension)

POSITION: Curator, Museum of Namibian Fashion (MNF)

SALARY SCALE: N$14,200pm (Gross Salary)

BENEFITS:
1. 13th Cheque
2. Housing Allowance

JOB DESCRIPTION
An entry-level post. The curator will assist with the development of a Museum of Namibian Fashion. The curator will be, initially, based in Windhoek but may be required to relocate to another town within Namibia once the museum opens. The museum will cover both historical and contemporary clothing and accessories.

YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE
• Developing the museum’s collection
• Collating historical and new research
• Exhibition development
• Administrative support to the project team
• Additional fund-raising

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS
• A relevant degree or diploma
• Ability to work under pressure and in a team environment
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Willingness to travel

APPLICATION PROCESS
1. Email your CV and a one-page motivational letter to For the attention of The Office Manager. The subject line should read the Application: MNF Curator
2. The deadline for applications will be Midnight, Friday, 30th August 2019

With the support of UNESCO and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), a team of Namibian educators from the Museums Association of Namibia (MAN) has developed an impactful project in support of education about the Holocaust and genocide in Namibia. You can read more about the project and the exhibition here.

The travelling exhibition “Usakos – Photographs beyond Ruins: the old location albums, 1920s-1960s” is currently on show in China. The vice-president of East China Normal University in Shanghai, Dr Li Zhibin, officially opened the exhibition, which will be on show until the end of May. It is the first exhibition on Africa that the East China Normal University has ever hosted in its beautiful gallery space and the exhibition on the history of Usakos is attracting a lot of interest amongst students and staff.

Bringing the Usakos exhibition to China was the result of a tri-lateral collaboration between the University of Basel, Switzerland, the East China Normal University, Shanghai, and the Museums Association of Namibia. Mr Robert Chalden Sabab from Usakos was invited to join the exhibition opening and the workshops that followed. Mr Sabab is a member of the Usakos Museum Committee and the Museums Association of Namibia. He has been actively involved in the mounting of the Usakos exhibition at different venues over the last four years and with activities linked to the exhibition.

The local hosts of the exhibition, Prof Mu Tao from the History Department and Dr Hu Ying from the Museum Studies Department indicated that it had created a curiosity amongst staff and students to know more about Namibian history and art. They were deeply impressed by the quality and uniqueness of the historical photographs in the Usakos exhibition and expressed their sincere interest in the possibility of future exhibition exchanges as a vehicle for dialogue. Mr Sabab suggested that the Chinese hosts might consider developing an exhibition that could introduce Chinese lives to a Namibian audience. He argued that increasing peoples’ understanding of each other’s history and culture is an important way of breaking down prejudice in the world today.

With China being the most recent destination, the “Usakos – Photographs beyond Ruins” exhibition has promoted Namibian heritage all over the world wherever one of the two versions of the travelling exhibition have been on show. It is hoped that the Usakos Museum in the historical OMEG building in Usakos will be opened in the near future so that the history and culture of the town can be viewed and celebrated in Usakos itself by Namibians and other visitors.

“Museums and Mobile Museums (Exhibitions), especially those that tell the story about the history of a people and place, are a great teaching tool. They also aid in the combat against prejudice and discrimination. They make the viewers aware of the differences and unique cultures of different peoples but also the similarities in norms, cultures and practices of people across the world. We all have more in common than we see at first glance.” – Ndapewoshali Ndahafa Ashipala, Museums Association of Namibia

PICTURE 1
Exhibition opening (from left to right): Dr Giorgio Miescher (University of Basel), Dr Hu Ying (East China Normal University), Mr Robert Sabab (Usakos Museum), Prof Mu Tao (East China Normal University)
PICTURE 2
Exhibition opening (from left to right): Dr Chen jinlong (East China Normal University), Prof Mu Tao (East China Normal University), Dr Giorgio Miescher (University of Basel), Dr Hu Ying (East China Normal University), Mr Robert Sabab (Usakos Museum), Director Shanghai Art Museum, Prof Lin Guang (East China Normal University), Stephen Wang (Psiart Gallery African Art Museum, Lian Yung Gang City)
PICTURE 3
Exhibition opening (from left to right): Dr Chen jinlong (East China Normal University), Prof Mu Tao (East China Normal University), Dr Giorgio Miescher (University of Basel), Ms Pierrrette Schlettwein (Basel), Ms Lisa Roulet (Basler Afrika Bibliographien), Mr Robert Sabab (Usakos Museum), Lisa Dr Hu Ying (East China Normal University) Director Shanghai Art Museum, Prof Lin Guang (East China Normal University), Stephen Wang (Psiart Gallery African Art Museum, Lian Yung Gang City)

The media, teachers and members of the public are invited to the launch of Deadly Medicine: The Making of the Master Race exhibition. It has been developed by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, through the reproduction of Holocaust photographs and documents, films, and survivor testimony. The exhibition will be launched by Hon. Prof Peter Katjavivi, the Speaker of the National Assembly at 3pm on Wednesday, 24th April, 2019.

The aim is to explore the Nazi regime’s “Science of Race” and its implications for medical ethics and social responsibility. The exhibition also challenges viewers to reflect on the present-day interest in genetic manipulation that promotes the possibility of human perfection. Therefore, the exhibition’s primary audience is both professionals and students in the medical, legal and history fields. This is an important educational exhibition which also suggests parallels with Namibian history and the use of racist science both during the German colonial period and under the apartheid occupation.

The exhibition has been touring South Africa and is now in Namibia. The exhibition will be shown in Windhoek at the Gallery of the Namibian Arts Association (off Macadam Street, near the Namibian Book Market) and will then travel to Lüderitz.

The exhibition is aimed at educating and challenging those in the fields of medicine and law to learn from the past and to critically review the policies guiding their work. The exhibition will also be a useful teaching and learning resource for senior secondary and university history students, as it provides a comparative perspective on the Holocaust which is one of the depth studies that learners studying history can select.

Schools are invited to contact the Museums Association of Namibia at or 061-302230 to book a guided tour of the exhibition (13th May to 7th June). Limited slots are available so please book well in advance.

1. What is Namibian Heritage Week?
Heritage Week is an opportunity for Namibians to showcase our heritage. The week encourages all Namibians to celebrate and commit themselves to protect our wonderful natural and cultural resources. Namibia’s major heritage institutions have joined together as a team to organize Namibian Heritage Week. As an umbrella organisation for museums country wide, the Museums Association of Namibia (MAN) facilitates regional activities through its members during this week.

This year, the theme for Heritage Week is “Namibiab |ō|gauba Sao” which means “Follow the Namibian Beat” in KhoeKhoegowab. The Heritage Week Team decided that each year the theme for heritage week will use a local indigenous language as part of our commitment to promoting pride in our cultural diversity. The planned activity should reflect the theme of Namibian Heritage Week.

2. What is the Heritage Week Fund?
The Heritage Week Fund is available for MAN’s institutional and associate members who are interested in creating a programme of activities for Heritage Week. The maximum grant that can be awarded to each member is N$10,000. The grants are being provided this year with funding provided by the National Arts Council of Namibia. We encourage the co-ordination of activities within a region and encourage members to seek partnerships and additional sponsorship for their events.

3. Is your museum/organisation eligible for a Heritage Week Grant?
Applicants must be fully paid up Institutional or Associate members of the Museums Association of Namibia for the calendar year for which the application is made. Please note that grants are not available to individual members and that no funds will be paid into personal bank accounts.

4. What activities can be funded?
Activities in the following categories might be funded:
• Traditional Skills Demonstrations
• Promotional Material
• Temporary Exhibitions
• Activities and Educational Materials for schools
• Storytelling and Presentations
• Guided tours for school groups
• Cultural performances

5. What are the grant conditions?
5.1 All grant applications must be typed. No handwritten applications will be accepted.
5.2 A museum/organisation should not have any outstanding reports pertaining to previous MAN grants received.
5.3 Funds must only be spent for the purposes outlined in the Heritage Week Grant Application. Only activities that take place during the Namibian Heritage Week will be funded. (16– 22 September 2019)
5.4 The MAN logo should appear on all promotional material produced for the week.
5.5 Successful grant applicants must submit a full narrative and financial report within two weeks of the end of Heritage Week. The financial report must include the original receipts to account for all expenditure. Any money which is not adequately accounted for must be returned to MAN.
5.6 In the event that Heritage Week Activities are cancelled, please inform the Operations Manager immediately and return any unspent funds.

6. How do I apply for a grant?
Complete the application form, and attach all the required documents such as quotations and cost calculations and send it to

7. How are grant applications assessed?
Each grant application is assessed on its own merits and in the context of other applications, and against the Grant Assessment Criteria listed above.

8. When will we know if we are successful?
All applicants will be notified 2 weeks after the deadline: 15 June 2019

9. When are applications due?
The deadline for grant applications is 31 May 2019 at midnight. No late applications will be considered.

On Wednesday the 02nd January 2019, the Allgemeine Zeitung Newspaper published an article titled “Controversy over Colonial History – Museums Association demands an end to the alleged glorification of the past”.

The Museum Association of Namibia (MAN) strongly refutes the non-factual information and derogatory allegations published in this article which seems intended to damage the good reputation of MAN. The article seems to refer to a report about a Conference on the `Past, Present and Future of Namibian Heritage’ that was organized by MAN in partnership with the University of Namibia and the University of Basel.

However, the report was not written by the Museums Association of Namibia or any formal representative of the Museums Association of Namibia. The Museums Association of Namibia is not aware of the author or the origin of the report referred to. We can only assume that the report was authored by an individual(s) who attended the conference and reflects their personal response to the debates and discussions that took place.

On Wednesday the 12th of September 2018, the Museums Association of Namibia sent out a press release to all the major media houses, including the Allgemeine Zeitung Newspaper titled “Press Release: The Past, Present and Future of Namibian Heritage Conference” which provided our official overview of the conference. The same report titled “Thinking About Namibian Heritage” was also published on the 13th of September 2018 on the organisation’s website https://www.museums.com.na/. The article is currently the second most recent article on the homepage of the website. The article in the paper mentioned the website (indicating that the reporter did visit the website but failed to read the information about the Conference published there) which indicates a lack of professionalism. On what basis did the newspaper assume that the document in its possession was an official MAN report?

Furthermore, the Museums Association of Namibia was closed for the festive season until Monday 7th January 2019 and therefore, no communication was made between the Allgemeine Zeitung Newspaper and the Museums Association of Namibia to verify its `facts’. If it had been, the Museums Association of Namibia would have categorically rejected all of the information published in the article as false.

The Museums Association of Namibia herewith renders its extreme disappointment in this type of sensationalist, unprofessional journalism and therefore demands a written retraction and apology for the publishing of this article which is not only completely devoid of fact but is also slanderous and tarnishing to the reputation of the Museums Association of Namibia and its partner organisations which are also mentioned in the article. We remain strongly committed to the development of museums in Namibia and constructive debate about their role in our society.

Dr Jeremy Silvester
Director

For details about individual events, check out
Email:
Instagram: @namibian_heritage_Week
Facebook: Namibian Heritage Week
Twitter: @NamHeritageWeek

In anticipation of Namibian Heritage Week, the University of Namibia recently hosted a major three day Conference to consider `The Past, Present and Future of Namibian Heritage’. The Conference was organized in collaboration with the Museums Association of Namibia and the University of Basel of Switzerland.

The Conference was divided into twelve sessions with the topics including the meaning of heritage in a Namibian context, the debate around collaboration and the possible repatriation of artifacts from collections abroad, the role of public art in contemporary society and the challenges to providing suitable training to support capacity-building in the heritage sector.

The Conference started with over a hundred participants being welcomed by Prof Frednard Gideon, the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dr Bennett Kangumu, the Chairperson of the National Heritage Council of Namibia.

Prof Gideon emphasized the fact that the Conference was one of the fruits of an official partnership that UNAM had forged with the University of Basel. He praised the Carl Schlettwein Stiftung (Foundation), the main sponsor of the Conference, for its consistent support for the development of Namibian research and noted that over fifty Namibians had already obtained postgraduate qualifications thanks to scholarships provided by the Foundation.

Dr Kangumu argued that `cultural heritage’ should not be viewed as, simply, part of Namibia’s tourism package, but that it lies at the heart of economic development in Namibia. Dr Kangumu’s argument was later taken up in presentations by Mr Elliot Mowa and by Dr Angel Tordisillas who spoke about the ways in which the Oranjemund Shipwreck and the National Maritime Museum (being developed at Lüderitz) can be magnets for economic growth in the towns.

The Conference involved a diverse range of contributors with 58 people participating in twelve panels and lots of time being provided for discussions from the floor. In addition to the presentation of forty papers, there was also a panel discussion on training and a book launch (of The Genocidal Gaze). The Conference was only advertised through the networks of the three organizing institutions, but generated tremendous interest.

Whilst the original budget catered for ninety participants it was eventually stretched to enable 120 people to participate and Mr Diddy Muifi, the Conference Organiser (from the Museums Association of Namibia) said that he is sure that, if it had been possible, many more people would have attended.

One of the central features of the Conference was that it encouraged the breaking of boundaries. Dr Sem Shikongo and PaPa Shikongeni opened the Conference with an appeal that the Conference should draw on traditional belief systems and not just be an intellectual exercise. They argued that drawing on African roots would help participants to `re-think’ their sense of identity. Axaro Thaniseb spoke about the way in which the Government’s new Arts, Culture and Heritage Policy had been developed through a consultative process.

Catherine Cole, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Association of Museums introduced the discussion of the ways in which museums, whose collections were often entangled with colonial history, could be refashioned for the twenty-first century.
The theme was taken up in the second session which included discussion about the statue of the Curt von Françoise in Windhoek, the Swakopmund Museum, the `Witbooi Bible’ in the Linden Museum in Stuttgart and the ways in which art might be used to ask new questions about museum collections. Issues about the ways in which, what was termed as the `Namibian Diaspora’.

Discussions about the ways in which Namibian museums and communities might engage in dialogue with collections in museums and archives abroad was developed in presentations dealing with collections in Berlin, Bremen, Frankfurt in Germany, Basel and Berne in Switzerland and Vienna in Austria.

The engagement with cultural heritage covered a wide range of topics. For example, Hertha Bukasa, the Culture Officer for Otjozondjupa Region spoke about the skills in making the traditional `Herero dress’, whilst Moses Mberiria gave a presentation on the significance of hairstyles. Ms Lovisa Nampala and Ms Nehoa Kautondokwa made an appeal for the preservation of the Oompampa (traditional graves) of the Aakwaniilwa (Kings) of the Ovambo Kingdoms of the north, using the Kingdom of Ondonga as an example.
An important fringe event to the Conference was provided by Dr Marion Wallace, the author of `The History of Namibia’ and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Southern African Studies. She provided UNAM staff and other local researchers with advice and tips on how to get published in academic journals.

The Conference also sought to break barriers by engaging the Namibian art sector with the museum community. Presenters supported the idea of the Museum of Namibian Music as a way of discussing, celebrating and preserving our `intangible’ musical heritage. For example, there was a presentation by Ms Welhemina Suro Ganuses and Dr Sian Sullivan about the fading tradition of flute music amongst the community of Sesfontein. Whilst `Baby’ Doeseb spoke about the cultural influence of South African music on Namibian popular music.

Dialogue between the participants was the core aim of the Conference and a braai organized by UNAM history students provided a great opportunity for this. Participants were also entertained by a stunning performance of capoeira dancing (the roots of which lie in the `play fighting’ traditionally performed by communities in northern Namibia and southern Angola.
In the final panel Ms Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja performed a powerful and passionate speech that accused museums and heritage institutions of being instruments of oppression. He, metaphorically, argued that museums should be blown up to create a space for new forms of cultural expression that would be more tolerant of diversity and freedom of speech. Ms Ndeenda Shivute demonstrated the way in which public art can be used to stimulate public debate about contemporary issues, whilst Ms Nikhita Winkler argued for the importance of dance and culture in society. The Conference closed with a bang, not a whimper, and left the participants buzzing with energy and inspired to continue their engagement with the heritage sector with its multiple possibilities.

Click here to read the full interview on the UNESCO website.

An interview with Ndapewoshali Ashipala on education about the Holocaust and genocide in Namibia.

Namibian Heritage Week 17 – 23 September 2018 Grant Application guidelines

1. What is Namibian Heritage Week?
Heritage Week is an opportunity for Namibians to showcase our heritage. The week encourages all Namibians to celebrate and commit themselves to protect our wonderful natural and cultural resources. Namibia’s major heritage institutions have joined together as a team to organize Namibian Heritage Week. As an umbrella organisation for museums country wide, the Museums Association of Namibia (MAN) facilitates regional activities through its members during this week.
This year, the theme for Heritage Week is “Tu Ruganeni Kumwe” which means “Let’s work together” in Rukwangali. The Heritage Week Team decided that each year the theme for heritage week will use a local indigenous language as part of our commitment to promoting pride in our cultural diversity. The planned activity should reflect the theme of Namibian Heritage Week.
2. What is the Heritage Week Fund?
The Heritage Week Fund is available for MAN’s institutional and associate members who are interested in creating a programme of activities for Heritage Week. The maximum grant that can be awarded to each member is N$10,000. The grants are being provided this year with funding provided by the National Arts Council of Namibia. We encourage the co-ordination of activities within a region and encourage members to seek partnerships and additional sponsorship for their events.
3. Is your museum/organisation eligible for a Heritage Week Grant?
Applicants must be fully paid up Institutional or Associate members of the Museums Association of Namibia for the calendar year for which the application is made. Please note that grants are not available to individual members and that no funds will be paid into personal bank accounts.
4. What activities can be funded?
Activities in the following categories might be funded:
• Traditional Skills Demonstrations
• Promotional Material
• Temporary Exhibitions
• Activities and Educational Materials for schools
• Storytelling and Presentations
• Guided tours for school groups
• Cultural performances

5. What are the grant conditions?
5.1 All grant applications must be typed. No handwritten applications will be accepted.
5.2 A museum/organisation should not have any outstanding reports pertaining to previous MAN grants received.
5.3 Funds must only be spent for the purposes outlined in the Heritage Week Grant Application. Only activities that take place during the Namibian Heritage Week will be funded. (17 – 23 September 2018)
5.4 The MAN logo should appear on all promotional material produced for the week.
5.5 Successful grant applicants must submit a full narrative and financial report within two weeks of the end of Heritage Week. The financial report must include the original receipts to account for all expenditure. Any money which is not adequately accounted for must be returned to MAN.
5.6 In the event that Heritage Week Activities are cancelled, please inform the Operations Manager immediately and return any unspent funds.

6. How do I apply for a grant?
Complete the application form, and attach all the required documents such as quotations and cost calculations and send it to

7. How are grant applications assessed?
Each grant application is assessed on its own merits and in the context of other applications, and against the Grant Assessment Criteria listed above.

8. When will we know if we are successful?
All applicants will be notified 2 weeks after the deadline

9. When are applications due?
The deadline for applications is 15 July 2015 at midnight. No late applications will be considered.

Archaeologists have been excavating ancient human settlements in Africa for many years. Archaeological research has helped build our knowledge of pre-colonial Africa based on the objects that have been uncovered. The excavations also involved the removal of human remains from ancient graves and the study of these skeletons has given insight into subjects such as the diet of these ancestors and the cause of their death.

However, in the early colonial period, some museums also sought human remains as `specimens’ of racial types that contributed to theories of racial hierarchies and the construction of racial stereotypes. Bodies were often obtained in an unethical way with bodies removed from recent graves (or even before they were buried) without the consent of their family. The University of Namibia recently hosted a workshop that bought together museum workers, academics and community activists to discuss a regional approach to the sensitive issue of human remains in museum collections.
The workshop was funded by the Commonwealth Association of Museums (CAM) and the International Council of Museums (ICOM). The workshop provided an opportunity to start a `conversation’ in Southern Africa about the best way to develop guidelines. It was argued that it was important that people who had been `collected’ as `specimens’ were `rehumanised’ so that their bodies are treated with dignity and respect. The workshop was particularly timely as IZIKO Museums of South Africa have identified almost 160 `unethically’ collected human remains, the majority of which were collected from Namibia.

The collection reflects a particular focus on obtaining bodies from the San and Nama communities as, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, it was believed that these communities would become `extinct’. However the collection also includes a significant number of human remains from northern Namibia that were collected after Ondjala yekomba (`the famine that swept’) of 1914-1916. European museums are also reviewing their collections and have already started returning human remains. The most prominent recent examples have been the return of fifty-five individuals from German museums to Namibia in 2011 and 2014 and the reburial of Koos and Trooi Pienaar in South Africa in 2012 following the return of their bodies from the Museum of Natural History in Vienna, Austria.

Ms Veno Kauaria, the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, who officially opened the workshop, set the tone for discussions by raising some important questions. “How do we decide whether human remains in our collection were obtained ethically? How do we find out whose human remains are in our museums, how old they are and how they got there? What should be the time period after which human remains can be legitimately excavated for research purposes . . . 150 years? 200 years? 1,000 years? When, if ever, might it be justified to display human remains in our museums?

How do we decide what should happen to unethically collected human remains after they are returned to our countries or found in our museums? Do we give them a Christian burial, even if they were not Christians? Should we not grant them the respect of a proper burial to recognise that they were people and not specimens? Who should be consulted and how? What do we do when there is insufficient information to trace the descendants? Should unethically collected human remains be returned, as far as possible, to their place of origin ?”
Dr Rudo Sithole, the Secretary-General of the African Council of Museums provided the keynote address and highlighted the fact that it would be useful if museums in Africa could collaborate to develop appropriate guidelines to deal with the issue. The current project is developing tools to help facilitate this conversation, particularly in Southern Africa.

CAM provided funding to place a Canadian intern, Ms Paige Linner, with the Museums Association of Namibia for six months. Ms Linner assisted with the development of a small mobile exhibition that will be used as an educational tool by UNAM and that could be used to help facilitate community consultations. Additionally the project has set up a web site, www.humanremainsinsouthernafrica.org, that will be used to share relevant guidelines and policies as well as readings and educational materials and that will expand with the project. It is proposed that a further workshop should take place in Botswana in 2019.

On the 19th-20th February 2018, the Museums Association of Namibia (MAN) hosted a stakeholder’s workshop in Omuthiya, Namibia as the first step towards the development of The Museum of Namibian Music. This museum will be the first of its kind in Namibia. The development of the museum is one of the four components in a project entitled Museum Development as a Tool for Strengthening Cultural Rights in Namibia (MDTSCRN),
funded by the European Union and implemented by MAN that was launched in Windhoek on the 27th November 2018.

The European Union will provide 237,025.00 Euros over a two-year period to support activities being implemented by the Museums Association of Namibia to support regional museum development. The workshop was an information-sharing session that brought together 29 stakeholders in the form of musicians across all cultures,genres and demographics, archivists, culture officers from the Directorate of Heritage and Culture Programs, music lecturers from COTA, UNAM and APC, tourism and intellectual property experts from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and NASCAM, museum experts, composers and musicologists.

The workshop covered issues relating to the development and sustainability of the museum: collecting or reproducing traditional musical instruments, developing a `dream’ for the museum, marketing the museum to the Namibian public, archiving Namibian music and memorabilia (such as posters and LP covers), the role of music during the liberation struggle, gospel music in Namibia, collecting and policy development, exhibitions to be showcased in the museum and the languages that they are to be written in and the facilities that the museum should offer to the general public. 

The workshop was held in Omuthiya which will be the home of the museum. The Ministry of Education, Arts  and Culture has availed a state of the art building in Omuthiya to house the museum and music archive. The chosen venue is in line with MAN’s commitment to decentralize development and create employment and economic growth in different communities across the country. The museum will be an educational and entertainment hub for all Namibians, also encouraging domestic and foreign tourism. MAN hopes to develop a museum that will be informative, educational, interactive and sustainable in a way that will encourage multiple visits.

The Museums Association of Namibia is inviting musicians and members of the public to assist by identifying musical instruments, recordings, photographs or stories that might be included in the museum. If you require further information please contact Ms Ndapewoshali Ndahafa Ashipala at the Museums Association of Namibia on 061-302230 or museums @iway.na