Shifting Focus: Collaborative Approaches in the Kribi Archives Project

Abstract

The Kribi Archives project is a collaborative project aimed at revitalizing a neglected local archive in Kribi, Cameroon, and transforming it into a sustainable, community-driven space for historical engagement, research and artistic exchange. Rather than presenting a theoretical framework, this article offers a reflection on the project’s early stages and its collaborative approach. We try to unwrap the multiple layers which connect the coastal town of Kribi and the Ethnologisches Museum Berlin, and we question how these entanglements shape our work. We approach the archive not merely as a repository of knowledge or a tool for preservation, but also as a catalyst for dialogue, creativity and inclusive knowledge production.