The representation of minority languages and indigenous cultures in Zimbabwean museums
Most African countries, Zimbabwe included, have diverse languages through which people disseminate and express their unique identities and cultures. These languages, regardless of status, carries culture and transmit skills, ideas, values and symbols that are peculiar to each indigenous community. I...
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| Language: | English |
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The International Journal of the Inclusive Museum
2017
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| Online Access: | http://ijz.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.177/prod.223 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/2814 |
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| author | Muringa, Tendai Fortune |
| author_facet | Muringa, Tendai Fortune |
| author_sort | Muringa, Tendai Fortune |
| collection | DSpace |
| description | Most African countries, Zimbabwe included, have diverse languages through which people disseminate and express their unique identities and cultures. These languages, regardless of status, carries culture and transmit skills, ideas, values and symbols that are peculiar to each indigenous community. In Zimbabwe, two indigenous languages namely Shona and Ndebele, stand as national languages whilst English is the official language. Other languages such as Kalanga, Venda, Nambya and Tonga are classified as ‘small’ or minority languages. It is the argument of this paper that the interconnectedness of culture to language entails that attention is accorded to minority languages especially by museums which are repositories of Zimbabwe’s traditional and contemporary culture. Minority languages, if at all included, exist in museum exhibitions mainly to name the object and not to elaborate on the cultural context which led to creation of such symbols. Therefore, what does this mean regarding the representation of minority languages and indigenous cultures in Zimbabwe? This paper argues that the language and culture of minority groups constitute national identity and need to be accommodated in the integral vision of National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ). |
| format | Article |
| id | ir-11408-2814 |
| institution | My University |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | The International Journal of the Inclusive Museum |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ir-11408-28142022-06-27T13:49:06Z The representation of minority languages and indigenous cultures in Zimbabwean museums Muringa, Tendai Fortune Minority languages Indigenous cultures Museums Most African countries, Zimbabwe included, have diverse languages through which people disseminate and express their unique identities and cultures. These languages, regardless of status, carries culture and transmit skills, ideas, values and symbols that are peculiar to each indigenous community. In Zimbabwe, two indigenous languages namely Shona and Ndebele, stand as national languages whilst English is the official language. Other languages such as Kalanga, Venda, Nambya and Tonga are classified as ‘small’ or minority languages. It is the argument of this paper that the interconnectedness of culture to language entails that attention is accorded to minority languages especially by museums which are repositories of Zimbabwe’s traditional and contemporary culture. Minority languages, if at all included, exist in museum exhibitions mainly to name the object and not to elaborate on the cultural context which led to creation of such symbols. Therefore, what does this mean regarding the representation of minority languages and indigenous cultures in Zimbabwe? This paper argues that the language and culture of minority groups constitute national identity and need to be accommodated in the integral vision of National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ). 2017-09-05T13:45:06Z 2017-09-05T13:45:06Z 2013 Article http://ijz.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.177/prod.223 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/2814 en The International Journal of the Inclusive Museum;Vol. 5; No. 1; p. 37-47 open The International Journal of the Inclusive Museum |
| spellingShingle | Minority languages Indigenous cultures Museums Muringa, Tendai Fortune The representation of minority languages and indigenous cultures in Zimbabwean museums |
| title | The representation of minority languages and indigenous cultures in Zimbabwean museums |
| title_full | The representation of minority languages and indigenous cultures in Zimbabwean museums |
| title_fullStr | The representation of minority languages and indigenous cultures in Zimbabwean museums |
| title_full_unstemmed | The representation of minority languages and indigenous cultures in Zimbabwean museums |
| title_short | The representation of minority languages and indigenous cultures in Zimbabwean museums |
| title_sort | representation of minority languages and indigenous cultures in zimbabwean museums |
| topic | Minority languages Indigenous cultures Museums |
| url | http://ijz.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.177/prod.223 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/2814 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT muringatendaifortune therepresentationofminoritylanguagesandindigenousculturesinzimbabweanmuseums AT muringatendaifortune representationofminoritylanguagesandindigenousculturesinzimbabweanmuseums |