Refiguring The Archives
The African Experience
N. M. MUTITI
National Archives of Zambia
What is it all about? Archival theory of yesteryear laid a foundation of what constituted an archive. During this period, emphasis was on the archival materials as a physical record created as a direct result of an organization's or individual's activities. The archives were shaped or figured along the lines of the institutions or individuals of which they formed a part. In later years, archivists, scholars and other users began to question the impact of the physical environment and societal processes and discourses on the archives. This gave rise to the need to transform or refigure the archives so that they are wholly representative of what is established in a nation.
The need to refigure. The need to refigure arose as stakeholders began to question just how representative the official archival record was in reflecting every facet of the transformation of society. The various political, social, cultural and economic changes over the years were not necessarily captured in the official record. Community and private archives came in to 'fill the gap' as best they could though they were often left out of the mainstream archives, mostly comprised of public archival institutions. However, these community and private archives also had their own limitations.
The South African example. In 1998, a project on 'Refiguring the Archives' was launched in South Africa. It was acknowledged that the apartheid and other inherited legacies had shaped the archives, and now needed to be challenged and refigured. The major thrust of this project was to bring together various archival institutions, other stakeholders and academics from various disciplines who would bring their particular area of expertise for the common assessment of the archives. The project centred on a series of seminars, lectures and exhibitions that tried to refigure the archives. The project suggested an approach to archives that is cautious of the claim that one or another corrective project can 'fill the gaps' in an archive.
What needs refiguring? The various stakeholders and academicians attempted to refigure the archives according to their areas of concern or expertise. Some of the major issues that called for a refiguring of the archives are as follows:
- Biases in the official record. Scholars have become conscious of potential bias in the record brought about by the political inclinations of that time. In countries where the written record only began with the advent of colonial rule, the record is figured along the colonial legacy that deliberately excluded certain information relating to some sectors of the community. Some of the policies were also segregative, leading to a dearth of information on some sectors of the community.
Consequently, it has become necessary for scholars to now pay greater attention to the particular process in which the record was produced and altered over time. Some try to fill this gap through oral interviews that rarely reach the archives. However, these too can be modified and have their own limitations. Other scholars try to refigure the archives of a particular period through music, dance, traditional ceremonies and historical relics.? - Theory and practice. There is need to rethink archival theory and practice. This has been necessitated by various factors such as the advent of Information Technology and the ensuing challenges for archivists, the right of access to information, the role of the archivist in this changing society and how archivists perceive themselves. In the current socio-political environments, the demands on the archivists are also changing as society's expectations of public accountability and the rule of law take on new dimensions. Consequently, it is also necessary to consider the changing needs of the users.?
- Community archives. In recent times, community archives have been set up to address gaps in the mainstream archives or to meet specific needs. However, there is usually a tendency to work in isolation since each one of them has their own concerns, hence the need to refigure the archives so that they are all part of a whole. Nevertheless, mainstream archives also contain traces of community archives.
- Cultural and social norms. These norms give communities common identities that affect the archives. However, the norms are ever-changing, so that what holds a people together now may be totally different in the future. For instance, the role of women in society has changed so tremendously that there are now institutions that look after some of their interests. It is necessary, therefore, to consider the impact of these changing cultural and social norms on the archives.
Level of project success. It has not been very easy to assess the success of the project. However, the project has raised great awareness among stakeholders and even training institutions on the need to refigure the archives. As an extension of the project, a book is due for publication in the near future. It is hoped that the book, which is centred on the seminar topics, will be able to reach a wider audience and contribute to the global refiguring of the archives.
Bibliography
- Durkje Gilfillan: "A User's Perspective on Appraisal", South African Archives Journal 40 (1998), pp. 45.
- Lillian Mashiri: "Networking, Lobbying and Advocacy", South African Archives Journal 40 (1998), pp. 27- 32.
- Narissa Ramdhann: "Access to Information: Problems for a Political Party Archives: The Case of the African National Congress Archives", South African Archives Journal 40 (1998), pp. 66-68.
- Scobie Lekhuthile: "Community Participation", South African Archives Journal 40 (1998), pp. 16-19.
- Segomotso Keakopa: "The Role of the Archivist in the Collection and Preservation of Oral Traditions", South African Archives Journal 40 (1998), pp. 87-93.
- Verne Harris: "Introductory Essay: Re-figuring the Archives", South African Archives Journal 40 (1998), pp. 1-5.
Ndiyoi Muliwana MUTITI
- Director of the National Archives of Zambia.
- Vice President of CITRA.
- Chairperson of the Association of Commonwealth Archivists and Records Managers (ACARM).
- In the past, she served as a part time lecturer in Archives and Information Studies at the Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts in Lusaka, Zambia.
Also served as Secretary of the Archives and Records Management Association of Zambia (ARMAZ). Responsible for development of programs and day to day administration of the Association. Also presented numerous papers on Archives and Information Management at the Association's various seminars and workshops.
And also served as Secretary-General of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA).
Selected publications
- "The Challenges of Managing Electronic Records in the ESARBICA Region". In ESARBICA Journal Vol. 20, 2001.
- "The Management of Record Centres in Zambia". A Theses in partial fulfilment of the award of the M.A. in Records Management and Archives Administration. London, 1988.
- "Archival Development, a Case Study of Zambia". In International Council on Archives. JANUS Archival Review, 1995.
- "Problems and Practices with Regard to Archives and Legislation Facing the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA).
- In the Proceedings of the 13th Biennial General Conference of ESARBICA, 1995.
- "The Use of Public Archives". In the Proceedings of the 14th Biennial General Conference of ESARBICA, 1997.