This coming 14 and 15 April, Ethnocoll is organising a symposium on the subject of the relationship between managers/curators of an ethnographic collection and the community of its origin.

What are the relationships between those who manage heritage and the communities of origin? How are such relationships managed? Are contacts between the parties conditioned by particular considerations? Do contacts occur in Belgium or in the country of origin? A number of experts share their experience and points of view during this two-day symposium.

This event is will be held within the framework of the exhibition The Call of the Rockies – Pieter Jan De Smet en de Indiaanse tragedie (Caermersklooster, Ghent), which focuses on the 19th century missionary Pieter Jan De Smet (1801–1873). De Smet worked with North American Indians and indeed became their advocate as he witnessed how their traditions evolved.

Practical information:

Part 1: Thursday 14 April 2016
9h30 to 16h
At: MAS – Museum aan de Stroom, Hanzestedenplaats 5, 2000 Antwerp
Speakers:
Jacqueline Patterson, Emeritus Professor at Washington State University and Curator of the Sacred Encounters exhibition
Martin Schulz, Curator of American and African collections at the Bern Historical Museum Chris De Lauwer, Curator, MAS
Georges Dewispelaere, La Cambre - Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Visuels
Bambi Ceuppens, Royal Museum of Central Africa
Saskia Willaert, Musical Instruments Museum
Idebald Goddeeris, K.U. Leuven
Register online for Part 1

Part 2: Friday 15 April 2016
Morning: at the Caermersklooster, Vrouwebroersstraat 6, 9000 Ghent
Afternoon: at the Provinciehuis (Provincial Palace of East Flanders), Gouvernementstraat 1, 9000 Ghent
Speakers:
John Abraham, Director of the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Court Services, descendent of Circling Raven and Louise Suykhwim/Sighween (two members of the Coeur d'Alene tribe, who helped Pieter Jan De Smet and his heirs to introduce his Catholic message)
Raymond Brinkman, anthropologist and Advisor to the Coeur d'Alene tribe
Joe Horse Capture, Gros Ventre/A'aninin, Montana, Curator of Native American Art at the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution Washington D.C.
Register online for Part 2

A joint initiative of Ethnocoll, the KADOC and the MAS.

The Belgian Ethnocoll platform brings together experts in ethnographic heritage and non-European collections. It considers themes such as the return of works, the visibility of collections, research and training, restoration and cooperation with communities of origin. Working groups bring together museum and archive specialists as well as curators of university collections. The network is facilitated by FARO, a platform for cultural heritage in Flanders, and by the King Baudouin Foundation.