Dr. Laibor Kalanga Moko
Research Associate
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My work explores the intersection of colonialism, materiality, and affect. I focus on colonial collections in ethnographic museums in Germany and consider these institutions as a starting point, as spaces in which the entanglement crystallizes. My research critically engages with the ongoing debates on decolonization and restitution. My approach is deeply rooted in the local contexts of communities – the Maasai, the Chagga, the Hehe, and the Ngoni - in Tanzania. Using ethnographic and visual methods, I investigate the meanings and values these communities attribute to the collections in museums, the affects, emotions, and sentiments that unveil when they encounter the pieces in various ways and formats. I also examine affective dissonances that unfold in museum collaborations. My work ultimately seeks to actively bring the voices of communities into transnational discussions.