Nelson Abiti Adebo

Biography

Nelson is responsible for the reference collection of ethnographical materials in Uganda and looks after the conservation, documentation and adequate storage of all ethnographical materials in Uganda. He conducts research and analyses the function and cultural values of the materials. Nelson liaises with institutions interested in ethnographic study of museum collections or the intangible heritage of Uganda. He also participates in policy development of Museums and Monuments in Uganda and coordinates project activities, working with local communities, especially preserving and presenting the Northern Ugandan Memorial Landscape.

Upon returning to Uganda after the ITP Nelson organized a five-day skills development programme for staff at the Museums and Monuments Department in Uganda as a follow-up to the new skills he gained from the summer programme.

In 2014 Nelson undertook a Masters at the University of East Anglia through a British Museum Africa Programme Scholarship.

At the British Museum
During his time on the International Training Programme in 2013, Nelson was based in the Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas, and his partner placement was spent at Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums.

In 2013 participants are asked to prepare a project outlining an exhibition proposal based on the space and programme for the British Museum’s Asahi Shimbun Displays in Room 3. Nelson’s exhibition project proposal was entitled Kono Fashion.

Nelson’s place on the International Training Programme was generously supported by Miles Morland.

Legacy Projects
In November 2015 Nelson attended the ITP Mumbai Workshop Creating Museums of World Stories. The workshop was held at CSMVS and was attended by many ITP fellows from different years and countries, UK partners and British Museum Colleagues.

In 2016 Nelson attended the Leicester University Museum Studies Conference with the ITP team and fellows from China, Egypt and Turkey. The group gave a workshop at the conference on Shared Histories and Global Voices.

In 2017 Nelson successfully applied for an ITP collaborative award entitled The Road to Reconciliation. With ITP project partners from Egypt, Kenya and Sudan, Nelson will produce educational resources, a touring exhibition and an updated permanent display based of community work with south Sudanese refugees in northern Uganda.

In 2018 Nelson returned to the British Museum, with Chithra Kallur (India, ITP 2017) to take part in the Exhibiting the Experience of Empire Symposium.

ITP Newsletter Publications
ITP Newsletter Issue 2 (2015), Legacy projects and cascade training: Staff skills and development at the Uganda National Museum
ITP Newsletter Issue 4 (2017), Speaking the unspeakable: how can museums address contested histories, and support processes of reconciliation? The road to reconciliation: a community memorial
ITP Newsletter Issue 4 (2017), Your collection in focus: Reconciliation spear
ITP Newsletter Issue 5 (2018), Bulletin Board