Author : ASAFAS
Year : 2009
This presentation briefly introduces research into four museums in Harar, Ethiopia,
highlighting the role that local actors played in the establishment, development and
patronage of these cultural heritage centers. Research into the traditional crafts,
artisans and museums of Harar, found that recent conservation efforts resulted from
local initiatives and subsequent effective joint management of tangible heritage by a
community working in conjunction with indigenous organizations, government
administrators and foreign interests. Without doubt, the local community’s efforts in the
context of Harar’s museums exemplify the potential of indigenous resourcefulness in
creating opportunities for both preservation, and public presentation of folk customs
and contemporary cultural practices.