Angola wants to internationalize the Museum of the Kingdom of Congo and return its exhibits abroad.

It contained more than 2,000 artefacts, but the Regional Museum of the Kingdom of Congo currently has a collection of just over 100 pieces, which the Angolan government hopes to expand with assets returned from other countries.

The museum, housed in a former royal palace built in 1901, occupies six small rooms, notable among them being the portraits of royal figures and of Henry, son of the King of Congo, the first black African bishop, ordained in 1520, at the entrance.

There are also aspects of socio-economic life, including artefacts related to hunting and fishing, as well as coins that were used for trade – small shells called zimbos – personal items, symbols of royalty, clothing, musical instruments and others intended for ritual use or used in traditional healing practices, as knowledgeable guide Kediamosiko Toko explains to Luse.

There is also a replica of the Yalala Stone with inscriptions by Diogo Cao, a Portuguese navigator who arrived on the coast of Angola in 1482, currently located in a village near Matadi (Democratic Republic of the Congo).

The Kingdom of Kongo at the time extended over three countries – the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo Brazzaville and part of Gabon – in addition to today’s six northern Angolan provinces, which prompted Angolan leaders to change the museum’s statute, explains director Avelino Mansueto.

On November 8, 2023, the former Museum of the Kings of Congo became the Regional Museum of the Kingdom of Congo, so its scope “covers an international level,” the person in charge explained, adding that there is also a cooperation project to save “some collections located in other countries.”

The museum, which was closed from 1982 until it reopened in 2007, “lost a lot of pieces due to the war and was left in a state of disrepair,” Mansueto said, and currently contains 105 pieces.

“We have already identified some countries, not only in terms of collections but also literary works and art, namely Brazil. We know Brazil’s relationship with Angola, the triangular (slave trade) issue, the role of the Kingdom of Congo, the United States of America, Belgium and Portugal itself, since Angola was an overseas province of Portugal,” he stressed.

Avelino Mansueto said that work is being carried out with specialists and researchers “from a collaborative perspective” to ensure “the possibility of saving museum collections.”

“We know that some museums have exhibits about the Kingdom of Kongo. And not only exhibits, but also literary works and works of art,” he confirmed.

He cited the example of the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Belgium, which has a large collection of artefacts, such as sculptures, masks and other cultural objects, and is developing a strategy to negotiate agreements through cultural representatives in these countries. In order to create collections, each object must be identified and have a history.

“We can, for example, get our original piece or exhibit it in this museum and get an exact copy,” he suggested.

Avelino Manzueta emphasizes that increasing the collection is not only important for cultural identity, but will also attract more tourists.

Last year, the museum received 7,420 visitors from around the world, with particular emphasis on Portugal, Brazil, Germany, the two Congos, South Africa and Zambia.

For the museum manager, the challenge also includes strengthening human resources, updating exhibitions and developing strategies to build a new museum of international scope, “based on the pillars of the three Congos: Angola, RDCongo and Brazzaville” – a collaborative project designed to attract experts from different countries.

RCR // SMK

Lusa/The End