INTRODUCTION
The term museum has a plethora of definitions. Some from the objective point of view, while surprisingly, the most peddled description of the word museum comes with a lot of hind-sight, linking museum to a refuse dump where junks and rejected items depicting idolatry are dumped.
However, to debunk this derogatory view, I will like to adopt the definition of museum from the perspective of the “Chambers 21st Century Dictionary.” This document sees Museum as a place where objects of artistic, scientific or historic interests are displayed to the public, preserved and studied. This postulation lays credence to its Latin – cum – Greek origin which associated the word with mouseion temple of the muses, a place dedicated to study.
From the foregoing definition or description, the word “Preserve” stands out: To preserve is to save something from loss, damage, decay, deterioration, or to keep safe from danger. The whole essence of museum practice rests squarely on the ability to keep what it houses, records related to them and retrieve same whenever required and in very good condition.
The museum, it must be noted, is home to a myriad of facts. These facts, if not properly kept, preserved or maintained could lead to a total obliteration of a whole historical epoch relating to centuries of our cultural and historical evolution. In all of these, documentation as a process ensures that the historical facts domiciled in our museums are properly kept or preserved in an orderly and easily retrievable manner, to assist other museum activities such as research, exhibition, study and dissemination of our historical and cultural facts.
Objective
Essentially, this paper is intended to x-tray the salient activities of documentation as a unit, vis-à-vis the contribution or impact of such activities to the enhancement of contemporary museum practice.
What is documentation?
To document (a verb) is to provide a written evidence or framework to support or prove something. It is a deliberate effort aimed at giving credence, evidence or back-up to something. Therefore, documentation accommodates the entire process involved in the collection or collation of such documentary evidences, and preserving same for future reference purposes.
In the museum our main focus is the objects, either those within the exhibit gallery or those stashed away in our storage facilities. All the objects involved in each case must as a matter of obligation be subjected to approved standards and processes for them to remain valid and fully integrated within the purview of Museum objects. Failure to subscribe to these acceptable standards may systematically signal the loss of the object involved. These materials (Objects) are symbolic in themselves, as they represent the various processes that a people may have undergone in the course of evolution. Note that each generation is trendy in this regard employing the available technology at its disposal. This cultural and historical evolution as documented across several generations through the instrumentality of our objects is what the museum helps to preserve.
In all of these, documentation as a process holds the anchor in ensuring that the much needed back-ups are put in place to enhance a smooth and systematic transmission of such facts from one generation to another. The information supplied by the researcher within the museum set up need to be properly analyzed in order to fully unravel and appreciate the deep meanings intended. It is therefore the process of documentation that helps to unveil the rich treasures hidden in the work of the researcher. Hence, documentation is the whole practice of ensuring the re-validation of the efforts of the researcher through a thorough scrutiny of the materials involved so as to bring out the underlying beauty in such materials and make them attractive in such a manner that a valid rapport is engendered between them (materials) and the audience. Except this is done, any material for that matter, becomes ordinary, meaningless, conveying nothing. Improper assessment results in communication breakdown or a total breakdown in transmission, leading to eventual loss of the invaluable and factual information engraved in these materials. It is the level of interaction between the museum material and its audience that determines the level or degree of appreciation a viewer exhibits or apportions to such material. This is where the uniqueness of documentation comes into play.
Types of documentation
There are basically two types of documentation as follows:
Field documentation: This is the first stage of documentation and involves mainly the researchers, who make efforts to scoop together the scanty information they are able to gather regarding their object of research. This type is entirely done in the field, while the information collated are taken to the office to commence the next phase.
In-house documentation: This is the second stage of documentation which is entirely the responsibility of documentation professionals. At this stage, the materials are thoroughly scrutinized and passed through all the rigorous and diligent processes such as indexing, accessioning, tagging etc. It is this process that eventually qualifies the object as museum object.
Why keep information
Culture it must be noted, is a collectivity of enduring aspects of society, both material and non-material. It is the lingering evidence of the existence of life as it relates to a particular environment (ethnographic evidence). It involves the notable experiences of a people over time. Ultimately, such experiences or aspects need to be transmitted from one generation to another. Therefore, the need to transmit these experiences suggest that facts relating to them must first be collected and preserved. Essentially, documentation helps to ensure that the envisaged preservation is made possible. Any deviation could tantamount to distortion of information, while future generations may suffer socio- cultural derailment and short-sightedness, culminating in socio-cultural bankruptcy.
Salient aspects of documentation
As already stated, the validity of any museum object is directly proportional to the accompanying information which people (audience) have of the object. The more the volume of facts (information) made available on an object, the more the value attached to it. Any object devoid of valid information or details automatically loses credence as a museum object. The whole gamut of information garnered to enhance the validity of these objects is what documentation strives to collate, process and preserve.
Within the above responsibility therefore, the process of documentation helps to achieve the following:
(i) It profiles the origin of object: This information helps in the task of making valid comparison in relation to origin between and among objects with striking similarities, but domiciled in different locations. Such revelation helps to ascertain inter-ethnic relations and shared commonality that existed between two or more groups in different locations in the course of evolution, which equally assists in the reconstruction of valid history, both past and present. For example, ICOM definition in part, states that the museum “operates and communicates ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities… for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing.” Thus, the reference to museum as an environment for research and study is again re-vibrated.
(ii) The process of documentation ensures that the classified information kept on any object are safe and readily made available for the purpose of controlling and indexing of museum objects.
(iii) Information provided on objects via documentation process contains precise, permanent and unchallengeable evidence of origin or ownership. This in turn helps to discourage theft, vandalism and smuggling activities by gullible and illicit traffickers, who may attempt to take advantage of such priceless materials.
(iv) Documented information provides legal evidence in substantiating claims for recovery of objects in the event of theft. Lack of information may pose a huge handicap and hence the inability to plead such cases whenever they occur.
(v) Information collated in the course of documenting objects, enables museum practitioners to keep track of objects in transit. Thus ensuring that object taken out of the museum for the purpose of exhibition, research or conservation, either within or outside the country are traceable and easily retrievable.
(vi) Through the process of documentation the inherent beauty or aesthetic value of museum objects are copiously exposed. This is the aspect that brings out the attraction and importance a first time visitor attaches to the objects. The dexterity, as well as the procedures employed in the entire process, no doubt, help to improve and increase the volume of patronage. The alluring and well-packaged information, together produce an impact capable of compelling the visitors to repeat their visits again and again.
(vii) At any level of interaction information is key. Else, such an encounter could be dull, drab, uninteresting, misleading and therefore a nullity. It is therefore the role of documentation as a process to create an interesting dialogue between Museum objects and the visitors, who are in dire need of a congenial environment to release boredom. The rapport which the visitors establish with the objects via the factual information made available through the instrument of documentation ensures that they (visitors) leave the museum environment with lingering and unforgettable memories.
Conclusion
Archaeological and ethnographic researches are essential for the reconstruction of our past. It is also important to note that the vast majorities of such research efforts are domiciled in the museum. Even private individuals have been known to set up private museums to enhance the safe keeping of the much evidence they have about their origin, achievements and other aspects of life over time. Documentation remains inevitable in both cases, be it public or private museums. The process ensures that adequate mechanism or expertise are deployed to process, evaluate and store the available information in a very unique way to support their validity and prevent losses.
Except this is done, the archaeological and ethnographic efforts to reconstruct and make our past palpable to the next generation using the window provided by the museum stands the risk of becoming a mirage. Arising from the foregoing, documentation could be rightly described as a catalyst in museum practice.
