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The Albany Museum has been collecting and curating ethnographic material culture since the late 19th Century. The collection consists of approximately 8000 artefacts with the bulk of the material being collected before the mid 20th Century (1950s). Whilst the collection includes artefacts from the international community, approximately 70% of the collection is Southern African in origin. The vast majority of the Southern African material is from the Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal. The collection includes traditional weapons, tools, household utensils, and clothing items such as beadwork, ceramics, basketwork, woodwork, plasticwork, woolwork, metalwork, smoking items, wearing apparel, musical instruments and photographs. The collection is a valuable record of socio-cultural transition over time in people’s ways of life and material culture. The process is simultaneously a record of the development of anthropological and museum practice in the 21st Century. 
Ethnographic ResearchThe Museum Anthropologist conducts ethnographic research on collected artefacts to establish peoples’ perceptions of the relative value of different types of material culture. The research projects that are conducted focus on the Eastern Cape region. The Museum Anthropologist also attends customary rituals as part of research to document context of different types of material culture. 
Public and Social OutreachThe department cooperates with the museum’s educational staff members to provide lessons on the rich and diverse heritage of the South African material culture. The department also initiates community projects aimed at enhancing heritage appreciation. Community interests groups such HIV/Aids centres, craftwork groups and cultural groups all form part of this partnership. To get an in-depth information about the Anthropology Department, click here. Staff: Curator: Mpho Jeffrey Molapisi (B.A. Hons Rhodes) M.Molapisi@ru.ac.za Anthropology General Assistant: Ntombekhaya Api BACK HOME BACK TO DEPARTMENTS |