Community participation

We will examine the role that community activities can play in a changing society by focusing on the following five topics:

In this introduction to our talk we give a brief history of Khama III Memorial Museum, outlining its development and noting its efforts to serve the community.

Here we look at the important role of community archives in our changing societies, for example in collecting and safekeeping documents and records, so that posterity may come to know of their rich past.

We point out some of the ways in which community archives can become accessible to the public, for example by opening the archives to researchers, who will in turn publish material, organise public talks, and in so doing reach more members of the community.

We explore steps that community archives can take in collecting documents and records. The first step is to let collection policies be publicly known, so as to ensure support. This can be followed by approaching stakeholders in the community and asking them to deposit their records. Researchers who have studied the archives can be asked to donate a copy of their papers. Networking with other institutions of a similar nature will also help in filling the gaps in our collections.

Most of the practical difficulties arise from lack of financial resources, resulting in a shortage of expertise and storage facilities, and an inability to purchase the modern equipment that has become important in archives. Sometimes people want money for their records, and without money it can become difficult to collect material.

We cannot afford to ignore our history because it is our story told through time and tells us who we are. Properly researched history is a means by which communities can learn of their past, which has in turn influenced their present experience. It can light the path to the always unknown future, and instill in them the confidence to face that future boldly. Thus we must find ways in which people's culture and traditions can be preserved and transmitted from generation to generation.

If history and culture are important for any community, they are even more important for a once-colonised society or for people that have lived under a form of domination. Forces such as colonialism and domination tend to alienate individuals from their history and culture.

Khama III Memorial Museum is a District Museum based in Serowe. Through collecting, interpreting and displaying objects related to the history and culture of the people of Central District Council of Botswana, it tells the people's story through time.

In 1933 Serowe was in the world news, after Kgosi Tshekedi Khama flogged a young white man in his kgotla. He was suspended and exiled by protectorate authorities, only to be re-instated some weeks later. Between 1948-1960 Serowe was again in the world news with the events following Seretse Khama's marriage in London to Ruth Williams, a white woman.

Records show that attempts were made in 1976 to start a museum in Serowe but until 1984 no progress had been made. In that year representatives of the community formed a committee with kgosi Ian Khama, son of Seretse Khama, as patron. This committee started a fund-raising campaign for the Museum. During the same year Leapetswe Khama, one of the founder members, donated his father's house and surrounding premises to the museum. The donation included a collection of items, among them furniture, uniforms, guns, photographs and the Khama family papers. A number of organisations donated funds. The Danish Volunteer Service was approached and in October 1984 the first curator was instituted at the Museum.

Originally the main house was meant to house the exhibition centre, but due to the extensive restoration required, the renovated garage building served as exhibition gallery, storeroom and craft shop. It held a small fireproof container that stored the Khama family papers.

The museum was launched at the kgotla, where the community was told of its aims. This engendered a positive response - people donated artefacts and helped to identify old photographs. In this way the launch helped to involve the community in setting up the museum. The existing working committee was extended to form an interim committee, which included stake holders from the community in its membership.

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By August 1986 the Khama III Memorial Museum had started to serve the community and was attended by many visitors. The Central District Council started supporting the museum with an annual grant, which was followed a year later by a grant from the Central Government. The Danish Volunteer service continued to give support in terms of providing equipment.

In April 1986 the writer Bessie Head died. The organisation DANIDA (Danish International Development Association) made it possible for the museum to buy her papers, which included letters, manuscripts, dissertations and proofs. The Danish Volunteer service sponsored the employment of a librarian to register and catalogue both the Bessie Head and the Khama family papers.

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By August 1989, restoration of the main museum building had been completed. The exhibition was mounted in five rooms, each housing a separate section:

• San people and their way of life.
• Bangwato during Khama III's time.
• Tshekedi Khama's time, where we note a lot of educational development.
• Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams - their marriage.
• Traditional life of Bangwato.

One big room is reserved for temporary exhibitions and a craft shop.

In terms of what the museum has offered the community and continues to provide, it would not be inaccurate to call it a cultural activity centre or cultural house. Art and Drama workshops and teachers' workshops have been held. Film shows, traditional dance, writing competitions and other activities have entertained and educated the community. There is an exchange of exhibitions and a sharing of ideas through the Botswana Museum Association.

The Bessie Head Exhibition has toured the country with great success. In 1996 it toured South Africa where it exhibited in four venues:

• The Alan Paton Centre and Main Library, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, from 30 July - 8 August 1996.
• The exhibition then travelled to the Malherbe Library foyer, University of Natal, Durban, where it lasted until 19 August 1996.
• From 21 August 1996 the exhibition travelled to the Wartenweiler Library, University of the Witwatersrand, continuing there until 29 August 1996.
• The exhibition was taken by Unisa (University of South Africa) from 2 - 13 September 1996, after which it returned to the Khama III Memorial Museum.

In 1995 UCCSA (United Congregational Church of Southern Africa) celebrated its centenary. As part of the celebrations the museum was approached and asked to provide an exhibition. This was done with information and photographs from the Khama family papers.

In 1996 "The House of Khama" exhibition was mounted at the UCCSA Church in Serowe to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the birth of Sir Seretse Khama. This was organised by the National Museum and the Gaborone City Council.

In order for the museum to manage this big event, the community stepped in and lent a helping hand.

Community Archives are important in our changing societies. Through collecting and safekeeping documents for posterity, archives can play a vital role in informing future generations of their rich past and of the changes that have occurred. This will in turn strengthen our sense of cultural identity.

As information reservoirs, community archives can provide us with information that will better equip us with knowledge and understanding of present times. Also, many changes have taken place in society. In the absence of records we might not understand the reason for them. Furthermore we need information about the past to correct false statements that have been made.

Most national archives are based in major cities and their aim is mainly to collect government records. Other important documents are often lost. Community archives are better placed to collect material from the community. For example, the Bessie Head papers were only saved because of the existence of the museum in the locality.

How accessibility to Community Archives can be ensured

• by opening up the archives to researchers who will write books, for example new history books of our nation, which can be read by all members of the community;
• by presenting public talks, especially to communities with low readership;
• by packaging some archive material for professional and non-professional conferences;
• Exhibitions have been the source of some people's awareness of the existence of archives, and can potentially reach and inform a much wider audience, thereby strengthening our networking and exchange programmes.

Knowledge and awareness of collection policies that state clearly why, what and for whom we collect will inspire people to contribute and support positively. Teachers, Church Ministers, doctors, nurses, writers and other members of the community may be able to donate records of interest to community archives. Researchers from other institutions of a similar nature can also be asked to donate their findings. In this way, through John Johnson, we obtained most of the latest publications on and by Bessie Head.

Most community archives have limited financial resources and cannot generate enough money. This often presents them with difficulties in maintaining their collections.

It is almost impossible to employ skilled people. Good archive management needs someone with background information and skills in record management.

Conservation issues may arise and create the need for a paper conservator. Proper storage facilities are also required or collections would become exposed to destruction through dust, exposure to light, uncontrollable temperatures, high risk of infestation and fire hazards, or loss of material through theft.

Another difficulty that community archives face is in keeping up with modern technology like the microfiche and computers. Although these wonderful inventions have made record management much easier, not everyone can afford them.

Where the community has an incomplete knowledge of collection policies, there is a chance of the archive being flooded with unnecessary material. Poor networking within the country may result in duplication of work.

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By Scobie Lekhutile, Khama III Memorial Museum, Botswana