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Absolutely enthralled by the @Nat_SCA Decolonising Natural Science Collections conference and we’re only on the first speaker. I can’t wait to learn more about this!
This quote really got me: https://twitter.com/nat_sca/status/1329367738058477569?s=21
“Collections belong to communities and without people, museums are just storage warehouses”
I’ve really enjoyed the focus on engaging with the community on multiple levels and emphasizing that communities are vital to the purpose of museums. Especially reminding us the idea of involving the community means involving people from **all backgrounds**
So far this statue I didn’t know existed (has been taken down) has been introduced. I am *very* uncomfortable with the fact it took so long to remove this from in front American Museum of Natural History
I lost my thread a bit: https://twitter.com/sarahsgonewild/status/1329374648346275841
Absolutely here for a talk about how Gorillas can help us decolonize collections by @Curator_Rebecca but im probably biased as a primatologist
So I’ve had this recent fascination with what I call “niche natural histories“ where I go obsessively into detail into very specific things and their history (ex. writing a chapter in my thesis on the history of wildlife export from Sierra Leone starting from 400BCE)
And this discussion of where these very specific gorillas came from, and more widely the exploitation of people in the process of filling museums and zoos with wildlife, is playing right into that. Absolutely fascinating.
“Apparently they felt bad about taking the gorillas from the wild... but maybe they could have thought of that in advance” is a mood. Thank you @Curator_Rebecca
The history of colonial women bonding with/keeping baby pet gorillas is a topic I want to know so much more about. (And the unsurprising conclusion that usually African people were hired to care for the gorillas around the clock)
African women were hired as wet nurses for baby gorillas captured for the trade and were treated (unsurprisingly) quite terribly
“These women had been carefully sterilized and kept in quarentine... I selected the healthiest and most intelligent of the women to nurse the male”
“These women had been carefully sterilized and kept in quarentine... I selected the healthiest and most intelligent of the women to nurse the male”
@BergitArends talking about the role art and artists can play in bringing a new POV to museums that makes us step back from the European view of colonialism and science is fascinating.
Again, the importance of a diversity of voices is apparent
Again, the importance of a diversity of voices is apparent
Excited to hear @JackDAshby talk about European colonial narratives in how museums talk about wildlife!!
I find it endlessly fascinating to break down the way we talk about wildlife and understand where our language comes from.
I find it endlessly fascinating to break down the way we talk about wildlife and understand where our language comes from.
Also snaps for the title “political platypus and colonial koalas” and unashamedly declaring Australian wildlife the best (I’ll debate you on that second one though #WestAfricanWildlifeForLife)
I was multitasking while listening to @rachisaurus but I think I have a new dream job! Colonial Critters sounds like an absolutely phenomenal endeavor and I will make an effort to visit!
My favourite thing @rachisaurus said was that ‘decolonising’ museums isn’t about erasing history but is about adding to the history being told.
What a beautiful thing to be able to retell the stories of museum exhibits and to learn the histories of specimens in a different lens
What a beautiful thing to be able to retell the stories of museum exhibits and to learn the histories of specimens in a different lens
