“How to Make Statues Speak Again?”: Centering Originating Communities in International Museum Collaborations

Abstract This article explores a tension within contemporary museum and cultural policies, focusing on the decolonisation of colonial collections and associated knowledge production. Despite ongoing efforts, these initiatives often remain under the control of Western institutions, leaving the concerned countries and communities unequally involved. This exclusion perpetuates colonial trauma and provokes activism against museums and governments. Based on research within the AFRISURGE project in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), this study combines research on customary authority in contemporary governance with the perspectives of north-east Congolese communities regarding their heritage housed in the Royal Museum for Central Africa. The article highlights the need for inclusive and co-creative socially responsible museology, offering insights into how people want to engage with their heritage and exploring approaches to overcoming exclusionary aspects in decolonising museum agendas.