Zimbabwean history is rooted in ethnic and cultural identities,
inequalities, and injustices which the post-colonial government has
sought to address since national independence in 1980. Marginalisation
of some ethnic groups has been one of the persistent problems in
contemporary Zimbabwe. Of particular significance to this book is the
marginalisation of the BaTonga people of north-western Zimbabwe - a
marginalisation whose roots are right back to the colonial era.
Post-colonial Zimbabwe's emphasis on cultural identity and confirmation
has, however, prompted the establishment of community museums such as
the BaTonga Community Museum (BCM), to promote cultures of the ethnic
minorities. This book critically examines the effects and socio-economic
contribution of the BCM to the local communities and other sectors of
the economy. It draws extensively on and problematizes prevalent debates
on the biography of things to surface out the primacy of agency in
heritage and sustainability.