Super nice exhibition! I learned so much. Maybe it would be nice if the volume was higher on the small screens:)
Congratulations. Très intéressante exposition qui montre encore une fois l’importance de la collaboration entre différentes institutions culturelles, associations, spécialistes, chercheurs, chercheurs universitaires, étudiants, société civile! Hâte de suivre l’évolution du projet. Cette exposition m’a semblé être une pièce d’un édifice plus grand. Félicitations! P.S. C’est vrai que les femmes manquent un peu dans les représentations vidéos diffusées.
Sempre fiquei na curiosidade em saber de onde tudo que há no museu foi inventado, roubado ou doado. Aqui pode entender sobre o que de fato ocorreu e a preocupação e certificação de onde tudo veio e a ajuda para manter a doação ou especificar a origem. Muito obrigado por descobrir e por compartilhar aqui. (I have always been curious to know where everything in the museum was invented, stolen, or donated from. Here, I can understand what really happened, the concern and verification of where everything came from, and the help to maintain donations or specify their origins. Thank you very much for discovering and sharing this here.)
Initiative Suisse-Cameroun sur le traitement et l’avenir des collections exportées en Suisse. Cette visite est une étape symbolique importante et révélatrice d’un avenir commun. Je suis très heureux et je me réjouis de la richesse des échanges. Nous émettons le vœux d’une coopération centrée sur la recherche de provenance, des expositions communes et des projets …..
Der Schmerz über das Unrecht und die Greuel, welche über Benin kam, ist sehr präsent hier. Die Briter haben das Volk gebrochen, um es auszurauben und ihre Interessen zu sichern. Die Frage, die sich mir aufdrängt, ist: Warum ist die Rückgabe der Gegenstände noch nicht längst erfolgt? Sie sind Teil einer Volksseele und gehören nicht her. Es ist Zeit, das Leid zu heilen, zu vergeben und um Vergebung zu bitten. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité
Asiko ti to lati da gbogbo awon ohun mere-mere yi pada si ilu Benin. Eyi ni yio wa lara ohun ti yio fi pari ohun ole sija ati iwa ijamba, janduku ati ikomi ohun-olodhun ti ilu Geesi hu ni odun 1897 (Yoruba: The time has come to return all these precious objects to the city of Benin. This will be part of what will put an end to looting, violence, banditry, and the illegal possession of valuable artifacts by Britain in 1897.)
In response to multiple visitor requests for access to the full transcript of the workshop, we propose a different approach: acoustic fragments. Providing the full 50-page transcript of the workshop would not only be impractical and likely go unread but would also undermine its performative and experiential essence. Rather than offering a fixed, exhaustive document, we acknowledge that the interpretation of our input is deeply tied to our lived experience, shaped by evolving perspectives on race, identity, and belonging. The full transcript risks flattening, misrepresenting or oversimplifying these complexities, reducing rich, dynamic discussions to static words rather than ongoing, fluid dialogue.
Our intention is not to make these conversations digestible but rather accessible—offering an entry point that invites reflection, curiosity, and engagement with the layers of meaning beyond words alone. Unlike a written record, sound carries nuances and encourages a more immersive encounter. Rather than passively reading, visitors are prompted to pause, listen, and reflect. The act of listening becomes part of the experience, aligning with the fragmentary nature of the text and the themes of presence and belonging at the core of our contribution.
Each listener can choose to engage in their own way—whether by keeping their eyes open, absorbing the surrounding space, or closing them to focus purely on the voices, tones, and silences. These fragments embrace incompleteness. Each stands alone while simultaneously gesturing toward a larger whole—one that remains elusive, shifting with each listener’s perception.
It is not what is spoken that speaks, but what is heard. It is not the sound that matters, but the echo within us!