The importance of the Dakar-Djibouti mission in the history of ethnology
In the years 1931-1933, the ethnologist Marcel Griaule led a remarkable scientific expedition: the Dakar-Djibouti mission. The objective of this mission was to study the populations and cultures of West and East Africa, with the aim of better understanding the diversity and history of these regions. For nearly two years, more than 1,500 objects, manuscripts, photographs and sound recordings were collected and brought back to Paris.
Today, the musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac is looking into this historic mission by launching a counter-investigation into its history. In collaboration with African museums and universities, the musée du quai Branly wishes to re-examine the stories and objects collected during the Dakar-Djibouti mission.
At the heart of this counter-investigation, Daouda Keita, director of the National Museum of Mali, begins an in-depth research on the objects brought back during the mission. Its objective is to better understand their cultural significance and their importance in the context of the time. Thanks to this collaborative approach between French and African institutions, the Dakar-Djibouti mission takes on a new dimension, allowing these objects to be placed in their original context.
Beyond the purely scientific interest, this counter-survey underlines the importance of rethinking the role of museums in the preservation and exhibition of African cultural heritage. By giving a voice to African experts and working in close collaboration with local communities, the musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac offers a more respectful and inclusive approach to the presentation of these objects.
This counter-investigation of the Dakar-Djibouti mission also illustrates the evolution of museum practices, which today seek to account for colonial and postcolonial relations and to recognize long-neglected voices and perspectives. Through this work of re-examination, the musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac contributes to a better understanding of African cultures, by highlighting their richness and diversity.
In conclusion, the counter-investigation of the Dakar-Djibouti mission led by the musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac opens up new perspectives on the history of ethnology and on the enhancement of African cultural heritage. By reassessing the objects collected and giving a voice to African experts, this approach makes it possible to place these artefacts in their original context and to give a voice to those who have long been marginalized in the colonial narrative. It is an important step towards a more respectful and inclusive approach to the presentation and enhancement of African cultural heritage