Welcome to the MOTO MOTO GALLERIES Page
The museum has three galleries.
Main Gallery
The gallery is divided into
four sections: Ethnography, Prehistory, History, and Natural History and
presents a diverse collection of artifacts on permanent basis. There is
a display of Bishop Dupont’s (Bwana moto moto) memorabilia.
Ethnography Section
The museum being mainly an
ethnographic one, this section exhibits the material and social culture
of the people of Northen Province and other Provinces. It depicts
various aspects of life, culture and traditional beliefs of people in
their different social settings. There is an initiation hut of young
girls with the inside showing teachings on the walls. The Mbusa
(initiation figurines) available in this section contains wise teachings
aimed at preparing young girls to become responsible mothers and good
citizens.
Miscellaneous artifacts signify the
indigenous fishing, hunting, trapping systems and cultural diversity in
the areas of food security advancements, basketry, mats, barkwork and
pottery. Other exhibits of interest and cultural value are Ngulu
(associated to spirits), hunting charms and witchcraft objects.
Prehistory Section
The section exhibits two
different epochs of human evolution and cultural development of the
modern humankind from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. The Stone Age dates
as far back as 50 000 years while the Iron Age to 2 000 years. The
Stone Age epoch brings out different technologies used for human
survival ranging from tools such as hand axes, scrapers, arrowheads,
bored stones, cleavers and a multiple of microliths. Most of these
artifacts were found by an archaeologist Professor John Desmond Clark,
at an archaeological site near Kalambo Falls, the second deepest falls
in Africa, which lies 38km from the museum. The Iron Age epoch comprises
various iron artifacts of different shapes, forms and functions.
Displayed is also a furnace a replica of the ones formerly used for iron
smelting in the northern Zambia with ingenious bellows, centuries old
tools such as tongs, hammers, and other tools related to iron smelting.
This shows the culture of Iron Age technology.
History Section
The History section presents a
display of objects with pictorial illustrations. The themes exhibit the
Bantu migration, the chiefs’ regalia with assorted pictures, missionary
activities and unique trade objects. There is a display on colonization
of Northern Rhodesia reflecting scramble for Africa with historical maps
depicting the trend as well as remnants of First World War. In display
is also the attainment of Zambia’s political independence.
Natural History
Section
The natural history section is
one of the smallest and accords visitors an opportunity to understand
the natural environment surrounding mankind. The exhibits are mainly in
the field of herpetology (study of reptiles) showing different types of
snakes found in northern Zambia some of them collected by Fr. Corbeil.
Art Gallery
The gallery houses a diverse
collection of art ranging from decorated stool figurines, masks,
costumes, Makonde art, statuettes from different parts of the country
and modern art. There is an exhibition of musical instrument on
performing art collected from a wider spectrum of society and this
includes Fr J.J. Corbeil’s six wives (royal drums he collected after
paying bridewealth for them).
SPECIAL GALLERY
The gallery as its name
implies is used for temporary exhibitions mounted to supplement the
existing permanent exhibitions and enables full utilization of the
preserved collections in the storeroom and travelling. The temporary
exhibitions are mounted from time to time.
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CONTACT
Tel: 450098/
Fax: 450098
P.O Box 420230
Mbala,
ZAMBIA
E-mail:
motomoto@zamnet.zm