Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

19/08/2021

COMPLETED PROJECTS - Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

📣📣 EMKP is delighted to share the EXCELLENT NEWS that the first digital documentary collection produced by an EMKP funded project has just been released. 🎉🎉

The outcomes generated by the Project “Documenting the Instrument and Instrument-making of #Angkuoch, #Cambodian Mouth Harp” have now been released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and can be consulted and downloaded freely.

The data is complemented by a guide to the dataset explaining the different formats, sizes, and content of the assets, and a metadata spreadsheet with all the metadata information collated following the Material Culture Ethnography Metadata Schema (MCEMS). https://www.emkp.org/completed-projects/

This project is particularly special for EMKP since, among other socio-cultural outcomes, it allowed the identification of community member Mong Koeuy as the likely maker of a mouth harp https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_As1966-11-5 that was donated to the @britishmuseum without attribution in 1966.

The documentation about the identification process together with the complete set of assets generated by the project team can now be freely accessed and downloaded from the Project repository on Figshare: https://drs.britishmuseum.org/projects/Documenting_the_Instrument_and_Instrument-making_of_Angkuoch_Cambodian_Mouth_Harp/80576

We hope you enjoy consulting the materials as much as we did!😊😊

In collaboration with non-governmental non-profit “Cambodian Living Arts” (CLA), this project documented and made available for future generations the instrument and instrument-making practices of the Cambodian mouth harp (commonly “Jew’s harp”) Angkuoch. The Angkuoch is highly endangered ...

29/06/2021

Announcing the 2021 EMKP Grants - Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

EMKP is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2021 round of grants! 📢 📢 🎉🎉 This year 18 grants have been offered to work in 17 different countries, including projects based in Europe for the first time. The material knowledge practices covered include, island builders in Malaita (Solomon Islands), boatbuilders in Indonesia, hunter-gather material culture in Namibia or foodways, and salt production in Albuquerque (Philippines) among many others. Have a look at the full list here: https://www.emkp.org/announcing-the-2021-emkp-grants/

EMKP is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2021 round of grants! The programme has made 18 offers of […]

25/06/2021

Scottish women in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland are making Harris tweed in 1941 and singing to help them keep a rhythm during textile production

21/06/2021

Endangered Material Knowledge Programme on Twitter

We are amazed by this collective effort in Peru, where members of the Huinchiri community in the Cusco region are rebuilding a 500-year-old hanging bridge using traditional Incan weaving techniques. During the pandemic, the bridge collapsed. Today, this community is rebuilding it using traditional techniques from the region. The Q'eswachaka bridge has been used since the Incan period to connect communities divided by the river Apurimac, and it is one of the only remaining examples of the Incan handwoven bridges. Learn more here: https://twitter.com/EMKP_BM/status/1406931626093944836

“Miembros de la comunidad Huinchiri en Cusco vuelven a tejer este puente de 500 años de antigüedad. Durante la pandemia, el puente Q'eswachaka sobre el río Apurimac, se desplomó. Hoy se reconstruye con técnicas tradicionales de la región. Lee más aquí https://t.co/T48CCtjvSD”

14/06/2021

British Museum anthropologist gets Queen's Birthday gong

Please join us congratulating EMKP Director Dr. Lissant Bolton for being recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list! Lissant has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for "significant service to the museums sector, and to anthropology". Congratulations Lissant! To learn more about the appointment see: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/british-museum-anthropologist-gets-queens-birthday-gong/13386802

An Australian anthropologist based at the British Museum has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. Dr Lissant Bolton is Keeper of the Africa, Oceania and the Americas collection which includes 6000 Indigenous Australian items, among them two Torres Strait Islander skulls and the famo...

20/05/2021

Documenting Endangered Foodway Heritage of the Baobab Tree Among the Mijikenda of Coastal Kenya - Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

Happy #WorldBeeDay! Bees are fundamental for the environment. They are excellent pollinators of crops and they play a significant role in the world's food production systems. Over 70 of the top 100 crop species that provide 90% of the world's food are pollinated by bees. This year we celebrate #bees with #EMKP grantee Patrick Maundu who leads a project to document the foodway culture of the baobab tree among the Mijikenda of coastal Kenya.

Besides the direct food uses of the baobab (edible leaves and sour fruit pulp) this tree serves as an excellent host for many other species and practices related to culinary uses including edible mushrooms, traps for edible rodents, fiber for weaving baskets, and interestingly, it can be an excellent placement for barrel #beehives. These sources of food are associated with rare skills and practices such as the art of climbing the baobab tree and harvesting honey. The foodways around the baobab are linked with myths and ceremonies, songs and dance, that form part of the knowledge system relating to one of the most culturally and economically important indigenous trees in Africa.
https://www.emkp.org/documenting-endangered-foodway-heritage-of-the-baobab-tree-among-the-mijikenda-of-coastal-kenya/

The baobab tree is surrounded by a rich foodway culture among the Mijikenda of coastal Kenya. The leaves are a […]

14/05/2021

News in Conservation, Issue 83, April-May 2021

"Zimbabwe is probably the only country in the world named after an archaeological site: Great Zimbabwe". In the last issue of News in conservation EMKP grantee and Curator of Archaeology, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, Munyaradzi Elton Sagiya writes about indigenous knowledge, skills, and practices in conserving great Zimbabwe, a documentation process in which he aims to generate a digital archive of local stonemasonry with the support of the Endangered Material Knowledge Programme. Check it out here (pages 14-18):https://issuu.com/nic_iiconservation/docs/nic-magazine-apr-may-2021_issue-83_issuu

The International Institution for Conservation (IIC) launched a new full-color conservation newspaper News in Conservation (NiC) in 2007 and transitioned into a completely digital e-magazine in 2011. Published six times a year, NiC provides a platform for members of the conservation community to sha...

12/05/2021

#Paper may not seem the most suitable material for making garments but it can become quite strong and durable if made in a specific way. Yesterday, EMKP head Dr. Cery Ashley and EMKP grantee Daphne Mohajer va Pesaran had the chance to discuss the knowledge behind making paper clothing in Japan https://www.emkp.org/paper-people-making-clothing-from-paper-in-japan/ at the latest webinar for the #MaterialsMatters series organised by the London College of Fashion Library.
To find out more see: https://d-mvp.com https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/central-saint-martins/student-life-at-csm/facilities/general/materials-and-products-collection

05/05/2021

The Lost Legacy of Bida Bikini

It is hard not to love #glass as a material - the richness of colours, shapes and history. That's why we're proud to host a #documentary about #traditional #glassmaking in #Nigeria 🇳🇬, the making of Bida Bikini glass. You can watch and download the documentary here https://drs.britishmuseum.org/articles/media/Lost_legacy_of_Bida_Bikini/14535420

You can also watch it here: https://youtu.be/sTRxORja4Ik

At the crossroads of west-central Nigeria in the Nupe city of Bida, Masagá glassmakers manufacture raw black glass, a method that has remained a secret for n...

09/03/2021

Lisbet Rausing, co-founder of the Arcadia fund, speaks about the importance of preserving endangered knowledge and nature, and promoting open access. - Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

Don't miss out on our new post on Lisbet Rausing's interview to
Mongabay.com where she commends the work made by
Arcadia Fund founded projects including #EMKP to preserve cultural heritage as well as the importance of #openaccess as a means to address knowledge justice!! 📢 📢 https://www.emkp.org/lisbet-rausing-co-founder-of-the-arcadia-fund-speaks-about-the-importance-of-preserving-endangered-knowledge-and-nature-and-promoting-open-access/

In a recent interview given by Lisbet Rausing to Rhett A. Buttler, the co-founder of the Arcadia fund speaks about […]

23/02/2021

2021 EMKP Grantee Training was a success! - Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

#EMKP 2021 Grantee #training was a success! The fact that we weren't able to welcome the grantees at the #BritishMuseum this year, didn't stop the EMKP team to run the training online. This allowed a larger number of attendants and a varied and very rich series of life events including demonstrations, presentations, and seminars. If you want to know more about how it went, the modules offered, and the people involved, have a look at our latest post on the #EMKP website https://www.emkp.org/2021-emkp-grantee-training-was-a-success/

EMKP is very happy to report on the 2021 Grantee Training which ran online for the two first weeks of […]

19/02/2021

Aliph Foundation - Protecting heritage to build peace

#CallForProjects Alert 📢📢 The ALIPH Foundation call for applications is now open. Their focus is on projects that protect or rehabilitate damaged cultural heritage. For more information see: https://aliph-foundation.org

Deadline: 16th April 2021

ALIPH invites applications for projects that protect or rehabilitate cultural heritage threatened or damaged by conflicts around the world.

11/02/2021

Barking up the right tree

Grantee Larry Barham and the team from Moto Moto Museum in #Zambia are definitely excited about their upcoming project on #barkcloth

As we wait for the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines and the return to something like normal life, planning is underway for getting back to Zambia. The final season of fieldwork on the Deep Roots proje…

10/02/2021

Weathering Climate Change in Archaeology: Conceptual Challenges and an East African Case Study | Cambridge Archaeological Journal | Cambridge Core

Climate change is understood differently depending on where and who you are. It also impacts places differently - some more, some less. But weather is an important gateway to understanding climate. Our colleague Nik has just published a paper on the importance of weather when thinking about climate change. The article is available Open Access

Weathering Climate Change in Archaeology: Conceptual Challenges and an East African Case Study

08/02/2021

Barking up the right tree

One of our EMKP 2020 grantees, Larry Barham, writes about his project 'Last of the Bemba Bark Cloth Makers, Zambia' in his latest post, where he discusses the context of the project, which arose from archaeological research back in 2019, and gives a sense of the serendipity of how research ideas arise through the rigour of training and its potential impacts. You cannot miss this one! 📢
https://deeprootsafrica.blog/2021/02/06/barking-up-the-right-tree/

As we wait for the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines and the return to something like normal life, planning is underway for getting back to Zambia. The final season of fieldwork on the Deep Roots proje…

02/02/2021

We are really happy to announce the start of 2021 Grantees Digital Humanities Training at EMKP. Due to Covid-19 restrictions we couldn't welcome our grantees at the Britism Museum this year but we hope that the digital format would allow a larger number of attendants and easier access to the training resources that will be available for the duration of the EMKP grants. Photo of Yesterday's introduction session with Dr. Lissant Bolton, Dr. Cery Ashley, the EMKP Team, and the first cohort of 2021 grantees. Welcome, everyone!

We are really happy to announce the start of 2021 Grantees Digital Humanities Training at EMKP. Due to Covid-19 restrictions we couldn't welcome our grantees at the Britism Museum this year but we hope that the digital format would allow a larger number of attendants and easier access to the training resources that will be available for the duration of the EMKP grants. Photo of Yesterday's introduction session with Dr. Lissant Bolton, Dr. Cery Ashley, the EMKP Team, and the first cohort of 2021 grantees. Welcome, everyone!

21/01/2021

Announcing a Successful Launch Event for the EMKP-funded Angkuoch Project - Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

We are always pleased to share ongoing successes by previous EMKP grantees, such as the Launch Event of the Angkuoch Project that happened recently. The live event was recorded and the video is now available through our website. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did! https://www.emkp.org/announcing-a-successful-launch-event-for-the-emkp-funded-angkuoch-project/

We are always pleased to share ongoing successes by previous EMKP grantees, such as the Launch Event of the Angkuoch […]

12/01/2021

Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

DON'T MISS OUT! The submission deadline for 2020/2021 EMKP #CallforApplications finishes on 31 of January. There is still time to edit and/or submit your application. We would love to hear from you! https://tinyurl.com/y3ydmlrd For more information: http://emkp.org British Museum https://www.arcadiafund.org.uk/

The Endangered Material Knowledge Programme (EMKP) is a major grant-giving programme that supports research projects and communities to preserve their skills, traditions and wisdom.

17/12/2020

#Weaving and #Textile are one of the more popular topics in applications we receive. In #Morocco's Souss-Massa the diversity in communities was reflected in diversity of textiles. See how goat 🐐hair is spun. Video by @ucl 's Myriem Naji

16/12/2020

Last of the Bemba Bark Cloth Makers, Zambia - Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

Bark cloth, most commonly associated with #Oceania and its #IndigenousPeoples, can also still be found in #Zambia 🇿🇲 where only a few knowledge holders still make it.
#textile #endangered #heritage

Bark fibre was, until the early 20th century, the traditional material for making clothing and containers among communities in northern […]

11/12/2020

Ende Material Knowledge: Carrying Water, Yams, and Messages - Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

The Traditional Ecological Knowledge of the Ende of Papua New Guinea #PNG also includes using plants as waymarkers and transforming them into wonderful baskets. They are the cornerstone of local #foodways

#weaving #heritagefoods #endangered

The Ende tribe of Western Province, Papua New Guinea possess and make use of a huge trove of knowledge about […]

09/12/2020

Documenting Endangered Foodway Heritage of the Baobab Tree Among the Mijikenda of Coastal Kenya - Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

Baobab, one of the most iconic 🌳 trees of #Africa, is an ecosystem in itself and a microcosm of resources for #Kenya's 🇰🇪 Mijikenda community. The baobab is dying out and with it the #heritagefoodways it supports.

The baobab tree is surrounded by a rich foodway culture among the Mijikenda of coastal Kenya. The leaves are a […]

04/12/2020

Although mostly known for fine chinaware, potters in #Vietnam 🇻🇳 more commonly used to make household #pottery. Since the country opened up, the skill has started to slowly disappear. Grantee Cécile de Francquen will study its history.

Find out more here: https://www.emkp.org/recording-the-knowledge-of-traditional-potters-from-vietnam-a-historical-perspective/

📸Kinh potter adding elements to her kettle (ấm nấu nước) in Quế An village. Photo: Noël-Tiến NGUYEN-THE

Although mostly known for fine chinaware, potters in #Vietnam 🇻🇳 more commonly used to make household #pottery. Since the country opened up, the skill has started to slowly disappear. Grantee Cécile de Francquen will study its history.

Find out more here: https://www.emkp.org/recording-the-knowledge-of-traditional-potters-from-vietnam-a-historical-perspective/

📸Kinh potter adding elements to her kettle (ấm nấu nước) in Quế An village. Photo: Noël-Tiến NGUYEN-THE