Centre Resolution Conflict Visit
By Yasmin Stefanov-King
Centre Resolution Conflict (CRC) is a non-government organisation working since 1993 in Bunia DRC and since 2006 in Bradford UK [1]. In 2020 CRC received the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Prize for Tolerance and Non-Violence as global recognition of, among other activities, its outstanding work in the DRC. Over a period of 10 years it was involved in rescuing over a thousand child soldiers from the hands of lords of the Congo war that have claimed an estimated 10,000,000 lives. In Bradford UK, CRC serves all the communities within the Bradford District and the region, primarily the refugee communities, but in a virtual way, all victims of conflict around the world.
Welcome to the exhibition © Scarborough Museums and Galleries
On December 17th 2022 eleven members of the group came over to Scarborough to visit the From Local To Global exhibition. The weather was terrible, it was in the middle of the ice and snow that had gripped the area for a week, so it was treacherous underfoot when the mini-bus dropped off the group. We started by having a dethaw in The Sitwell before moving over to the exhibition. Mme Kongosi acted as interpreter for the group, and as Dorcas spoke around the rationale of the project, Mme Kongosi translated into both Lingala and Swahili. The hope is now for her to provide oral translations on the website to enable wider access to the project, particularly for those directly at the heart of it.
Congolese board zither © Scarborough Museums and Galleries
The DRC itself is 10 times the size of the UK, and equivalent to the whole of Western Europe. Travel to the north and east is advised against by the UK Foreign Office, including the provinces of Kasaï Oriental, Haut-Uele, Haut Lomami, North Kivu, and Ituri. The majority of the people who came over on the trip were from the DRC, many from those regions of highest conflict, and there was a real need to be aware of this in terms of safeguarding their emotional well-being. To say that it was emotional would be an understatement. The people within the group had had to leave their home countries under extreme circumstances, and they were now seeing footage of people who are currently living in displaced people’s camps. Their responses though were in a safe environment, and what was said was that by engaging with the exhibition, they were able to start to heal. It did not make it easy though.
A signifcant moment for the museum team was when we went down into the museum stores, and opened up some of the boxes of items which had not been included within the exhibition. These things included a copper torque, beaded collar, musical instruments, and an item which had been identified as a whip. These things were now being seen by Congolese people for the first time in over a hundred years, and they were able to give a new slant on the items. It was important to us to learn from them the significance of these objects, as part of an intercultural dialogue.
‘Whip’ now thought to be used to wrap around trees to climb for honey © Scarborough Museums and Galleries
Some, such as the musical instruments, we had got right, but there were a number where we learnt new information which completely changed our understanding of the object. The most significant of these was the ‘whip’. As can be seen in the photo, the label states ‘whip’, but the length of the hide, in light of the fact it appears to have come from the Ituri Forest, does not seem reasonable. What makes far more sense is that it is actually the tool used for climbing trees – something which we had seen in the video sent over from PAP, but we had not made the connection with.
The dishes we recognised as plates and bowls. However, what we hadn’t realised is that they could also be used as a means of sieving through grains, with the finer particles dropping down through the gaps.
Citizen researcher holding one of the shields © Scarborough Museums and Galleries
The shields were another area for development as a result of the visit. Whilst we had recognised the immediate use for them as a means of defence, we learnt that they might also be used as stretcher bearers, carried by two or more people.
Heavy copper torque © Scarborough Museums and Galleries
In terms of provenance though, the item which cast a new light on the ‘collection’ was the detail around the two necklaces. There is a heavy copper torque, and a red and green beaded choker. We were told that both of these would have been high status objects, worn only by those with the highest rank. These would have been highly valued, and not something which would be lightly given away as gifts.
Beaded choker which may be worn over the hair as well © Scarborough Museums and Galleries
In his diaries [2], Harrison talks about exchanging various items for gifts, such as blankets, razors, and scissors in exchange for camels, beaded items and cloth. Some of these we can assume to be amongst the items within this collection, but this does not account for the torque, or choker. Which of course raises the question as to why they are here, what is the real story behind them, and how did Harrison come to be in possession of these two beautiful items.
About the author
Yasmin Stefanov-King - is a freelance project assistant for From Local to Global