Preservation and conservation of archives today is an important aspect of information management in organisations.

Background

Archives require proper management to support core functions of the organisation, provide evidence of business transactions, promote the image of the organisation, ensure continuity of business activities and pass on ancient information to the future generations

In order for a country to preserve its history, there is need to stabilize and protect documents against damage or deterioration. This can be in print, audio and art form.

It is therefore the responsibilities of Nations to ensure that ancient materials portraying important activities of the country including cultural activities in communities must be preserved in national archives.

Archives must be stored in a safe and secure location and displayed under appropriate preservation conditions

Proper accounts must be kept at all times of the precise location of all archives, including those temporarily withdrawn or undergoing administration

In cases where serious damage or loss has taken place, it is imperative for the right staff to be alerted immediately in order for corrective measures to be taken

Preservation and conservation of archives is not a new phenomenon. Ancient civilizations entrusted archive keepers with the task of memorizing documents.

Gradually the increase in archives proved too much for the archive keepers, leading to the need to store archives in other ways such as in electronic forms especially during modern times.

Over time there is increasing use of sound tapes and electronically stored information such as CD ROMs and computer discs and most library collections are essentially impermanent. Unlike museum items that are rarely handled, library materials are meant to be used.

However the idea of archiving information seem to be taken serious by institutions as such scholars from Makerere University have taken it upon themselves to blow the trumpet by engaging various stakeholders and students to conduct research in this area and make it vivid.

Makerere University Archiving research initiative

The Principal College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) Prof Josephine Ahikire explaining the background of the project noted that her institute received a grant from the Andre W. Mellon Foundation of New York worth $800,000 to run a three year project titled “Archiving Memory and method from the Global South”

The project will enable her college and the students pursuing courses in social sciences and humanities to conduct research in the areas of endangered archival institutions and communities to be kept future trends in Uganda.

This includes how files have been kept for record keeping in the Entebbe based National Archives and the State archive information that existed during the British colonial rule.

“You are all aware that most of the colonial information was about the British Protectorate rule which recorded information mainly about the political activities excluding indigenous knowledge. Students will research on how communities in Uganda had indigenous knowledge on how politics took center stage in the early years including tribal conflicts leading to migrations,” Ahikire noted.

Makerere University and the National Archives

The Deputy University Librarian Ms Ruth Nalumaga noted that the ancient historical information kept at the University Library are in Newspaper archives dated way back in 1910. Most of the information is about the colonial rule and land ownership.

There are also ancient traditional music archives kept in audio form which took place as early as 1940’s.

Others are books containing medical information especially how medical doctors carried out research on specific epidemics diseases and discovered treatment for them.

Ms Justine from the National Archives notes that there exists information and records about the British coming to Uganda in 1890’s. Other information in existence is about the British protectorate agreement of 1900, the Bunyoro and Akole Kingdom agreements and company information about the spinning and industrial committees.

Community Archives

However apart from Institution archives, we now have community archives which are a recent innovation. This is led by the cross cultural Foundation of Uganda with the main aim of promoting various cultures of the indigenous people of Uganda.

Mr Sabiti Nsimbambi Curator of Community Archives noted that their target is to preserve Heritage and community museums by collecting traditional art work, preserving ancient buildings.

This involves documenting ancient historical properties and cultural identities such as how the traditional dress of the Baganda, Karimajong, Runyankole, Rukiga among others.  Preserving traditional dancing instruments like the Adungu of the Alur, drums and flukes among others

The National Museum

There exists a rich history of ancient information in Uganda’s National Museum mainly in form of physical objects and art.

The Curator of the Institute Mr Nelson Abiti explains that there are various archival information at the museum and these include Art facts of animals expressed by their skin.  For instance one will find the skin of a Leopard to indicate the animal species existed in the country for centuries.

The political art facts such as Motor Vehicles used by past presidents, the first printing press machine used in the country, ancient type writers among others.

There are archeological tools such as pot made by the Chwezi people in Western Uganda as early as 14^th century.

There are also stone tools including ancient cooking tools made by most of the tribes in Uganda samples of which are kept at the Museum.

Others are Tribal Musical instruments of various tribes in Uganda and physical treasures of various tribes such as Mountain Rwenzori as a cultural heritage for the tribes in the Western Part of the Country.

Mr Abit emphasized the aspect of embracing memory archive through  involving the elderly people in form of interviews in order to document ancient activities that took place in the country.

Some of the information the Museum has documented is about memorial monuments which are over 600 in the country such as Fort Patiko, Borifa grounds in West Nile, Emin Pasha Fort along River Nile in West Nile.

Others are the Uganda Independence Monument which depicts a woman unwrapping her child and raising it to the skies meaning the British had done their part and it was now up to Uganda to mould its new child.