Several authors claim that the first heritage institutions were created for the first time in Africa during colonization. I am looking for references that affirm the opposite. Studies attesting that there already existed in Africa an extra-family heritage, common to nations and peoples, but also that its was institutionalized and organized before the colonial period.
Thank you
cannot provide any references at present but I would suggest looking at the libraries of Timbuktu ad Ethiopian Church practices for a start
Hi there
Your answer for most of sub-saharan Africa would lie in the Oral Traditions of the various cultures and tribes. In South Africa this is a recognized and respected source of information for researchers.
These Oral Traditions are basically stories and historeis of a particular tribe that is passed down to future generations by a designated "storyteller". These are usually elders or spiritual leaders.
Bushmen/Khoi rock-paintings are also another form of non-familial heritage, as many tell stories of the clan's travels/experiences.
Though these do not necessarily conform to our modern-day definitions of "institutions", they are, nevertheless, basically the same thing in a more pure form.
Fernande Abanda You can get close to the answer if you assess documentation of ethnic communities that still retain their socio-cultural structures, philosophies and geographical attachments. Their socio-cultural organisation should shed light into your question via ethnographic research documentation. For instanxce rural areas of countries like Swaziland. This is is one kingdom that still hangs onto its geo-cultural structures, so from there you can map the relationships in the past and how history has influenced them to see what much can be derived to fulfil your answer.
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