Annual Report 2011 © RMCA www.africamuseum.be Foreword 2 Foreword The Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA) pub- and culture exhibition was extended, while RMCA lishes a beautiful and richly illustrated annual collection pieces were admired in more than 20 report in book form every two years. In intervening major exhibitions held in different parts of the years – such as 2011 – we publish a digital edition globe. Nearly 30,000 children attended our edu- that is available on our website, and for which a cational workshops or school activities, while our hard copy can be produced on demand. Despite colla boration with African communities became its size, the report is not exhaustive. Rather, it more streamlined. We felt a pang of regret at the seeks to provide the most varied overview pos- departure of ‘our’ elephants in 2011. After grac- sible of our many museum-related, educational, ing our museum’s entrance for three years, the scientific, and other activities on the national and 9 pachyderms that formed the work created by international scene. The long governmental crisis South African artist Andries Botha, You can buy my of 2011 notwithstanding, RMCA was highly pro- heart and my soul, left Tervuren Park for good. ductive and remains one of the most important Africa-focused research institutions, particularly 2011 was also a fruitful year in terms of scientific for Central Africa. research. To highlight the multidisciplinary nature that is the strength of our institution, we organ- As with the previous year, the renovation was one ized ‘Science Days’ for the first time. This initiative of the museum’s priorities in 2011. Preparatory sought to bring together museum researchers in works were carried out so that the other build- the natural and human sciences and have them ings can remain operational during the renova- explore and compare activities and scientific tion proper. The new permanent exhibition and its skills, so that they gain a better picture of their sceno graphy are coming close to their final form, colleagues’ work and are encouraged to pursue and the relocation of the cellar and museum multidisciplinary collaboration. building contents has begun. The ambitious project on the new provinces of RMCA organized two major themed exhibitions the Democratic Republic of the Congo produced for the year. On 8 April, the exhibit Fetish Modernity its first publications in 2011. The monograph on opened its doors to the public. This exhibition was Maniema province was released in April, while the fruit of an international collaboration among the Haut-Uele monograph followed in December. several ethnography museums as part of the These two monographs, kicking off a 26-vol- ‘Ethnography Museum and World Cultures’ (RIME) ume collection, quickly earned a very positive project. The second major exhibit, UNCENSORED, reception. invited visitors to (re)discover the museum’s bet- ‘Boyekoli Ebale Congo 2010’, the international ter and lesser-known corners before renovation multidisciplinary expedition on biodiversity which works started. For the first time, some of the was organized with several partner institutions, museum’s cellars were opened to public view. continued to yield results the following year. The There were also four photo exhibitions and an Congo 2010 Consortium (RMCA, National Botanic exhibit to cap an artist residency programme. Garden of Belgium, Royal Belgian Institute of The Congo River. 4,700 Km bursting with nature Natural Sciences and the University of Kisangani) Foreword 3 began construction of the Centre de Surveillance research, 2011 was a productive year, with more de la Biodiversité (CSB) in Kisangani and initiated than 300 publications from our scientists. a long-term collaboration between Congolese and Belgian institutions and universities for biodiver- For this reason I wish to express my heartfelt sity research capacity-building. The CSB intends gratitude to the RMCA staff for their constant to become an international knowledge centre for dedication. Yet without the support of our struc- research on Congo Basin biodiversity. tural partners, we would have been unable to pursue all our activities. Many thanks go to the Extensive fieldwork in various disciplines was Belgian Federal Science Policy Office, Belgian carried out in 2011. The press paid special atten- Development Cooperation, Federal Public Service tion to the work of our geologists, who went on an Foreign Affairs, the National Lottery, and the expedition with their colleagues from Luxembourg Public Buildings Administration. to Mount Nyiragongo, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s east. One of Africa’s most active vol- canoes, Nyiragongo is also located barely 15 km Guido GRYSEELS, north of the city of Goma. The geologists installed Director General the first monitoring system of the volcano’s lava lake, making it possible to track volcanic activity and develop early warning systems to protect the area’s residents. As with previous years, our collaboration pro- grammes with African institutions in 2011 dealt mainly with capacity-building. More than 100 African scientists followed training courses or were supervised by RMCA researchers while com- pleting their doctoral thesis. RMCA is a dynamic federal scientific institute. Our expertise, high-level scientific research, renowned collections, training programmes, and cultural and educational activities all combine to give us our international reputation as an institution. Many of our projects, in the natural and human sciences, are pursued in collaboration with prestigious universities and research institutes. RMCA is also involved in fruitful partnerships with other federal scientific institutes in several areas. In terms of Bart Deseyn © RMCA I. Gérard © RMCA museum life Museum Life 6 The museum at a glance January 03/01 In keeping with tradition, the year begins with a speech from the director followed by a walk- ing dinner for museum staff. 25/01 On 25 January, the Congo 2010 Consortium held a press conference at the Botanic Garden in Meise to present the initial results of the Congo River expedition and announce the launch of the Congo Biodiversity Initiative. The Consortium includes the RMCA, the National Botanic Garden of Belgium, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, and the Université de Kisangani. The press conference also inaugurated an exhibition of extraordinary images taken during the expedition by photographer Kris Pannecoucke. 26-28/01 First edition of ‘Sciences Days’, to give museum researchers the opportunity to discuss their scientific skills and activities and give colleagues a chance to discover the work of their fellow scientists in the natural and human sciences. 25/01 © RMCA 26/01 © RMCA February 01/02 Room 19, opening of the photo exhibit Madagascar. Meet the people. 11/02 US Ambassador to Belgium Howard Gutman pays a visit to RMCA and Tervuren. 25/02 Felix Costales Artieda, Spain’s ambassador to the DRC, visits the RMCA. March 12/02 Defence Minister Gomul of Turkey visits the museum. 15/3 Presentation of satisfaction survey results to RMCA staff. Over 87% declared they were satis- fied or very satisfied to work at the museum. A number of crucial points were also raised, paving the way for concrete action. 22/3 RMCA joins the History Night organized by Davidsfonds. The museum at a glance 7 27/3 Turkish writer and Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk visits the museum and the Stanley archives. 31/3 After three years of restoration work, the sculpture Après le combat stands anew in front of the Colonial Palace. april 08/04 Opening of the traveling exhibition Fetish Modernity at the RMCA. 18/04 The coelacanth aquarium has been restored, with a new airtight cover that prevents formal- dehyde from evaporating. The fish is also mounted on a specially designed stand. 29-30/04 23rd edition of EXPOsciences, at Tour & Taxis, where the RMCA conducted a workshop on butterflies. 29/04 The director awards certificates to attendees of the Summer School organized by the Colonial History section. May 4/5 The 9 elephants that formed South African artist Andries Botha’s work, You can buy my heart and my soul, left Tervuren park to join their new permanent home at Planckendael animal park near Malines. 11/05 Room 19, opening of the exhibition Artists in residence: Sammy Baloji and Patrick Mudekereza. 15/05 The 7th edition of Africa<>Tervuren takes modernity as its theme, inspired by the Fetish Modernity exhibit. 15/05 On the occasion of the Year of Forests, our Science Corner displays new panels featuring the work of the Wood Biology unit. 25/05 The Colonial Palace welcomes Africa Day organized by African ambassadors in Brussels. 04/05 © RMCA 15/05 J. Van de Voorde © RMCA Museum Life 8 June 6 /6 A delegation led by DRC Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Didier Etumba Longila pays a visit to the RMCA. 9/6 The RMCA website launches a new section, ‘Meet our Scientists’, where museum researchers present their work and collections in short video interviews. Three such interviews were put online in 2011. 11/06 A special installation for the visually handicapped was created in the agricultural economy room. Specimens can be handled freely, and all descriptive texts have a transcription in Braille. 24/06 FishBase participants receive their certificates. July 5-8/7 Holiday workshops for children aged 10 to 12 were held at the museum from 5 to 8 July. For four days, they could enter the world of the Congo River. 7 /7 A Chinese delegation led by NPC vice-chairman Zhou Tienong visits the museum. 12 /7 Rebecca Martin Nagy, Susan Cooksey and Robin Poynor, all of the University of Florida’s Harn Museum of Art, came on a work visit to the RMCA. They studied the possibility of a joint exhi- bition in 2013 on the influence of Kongo cultures on the United States when the first Africans arrived there in 1513.