Community Collaboration and Provenance Research in Tanzania | CollabFund

A video insight into the CollabFund project Tracing Colonialism: Tanzanian Collection in Slovenia by Eliabu Mbonimpa.

In early 2025, the Slovene Ethnographic Museum acquired a significant collection of objects from Tanzania, assembled by Stanko Grom, a Slovene who lived and worked there between 1937 and 1961. To better understand the origins of the collection and its significance today, the museum has been collaborating with Tanzanian curator and artist Eliabu Mbonimpa. In March and April, Eliabu conducted research at the locations where Grom worked, connecting with local communities to gather information about the history of the sisal plantations and the lead mine. He shared photographs of objects from the museum’s collection with the villagers, who in turn provided valuable insights into their craftsmanship and function.

Eliabu will be traveling to the Slovene Ethnographic Museum in Ljubljana for a study visit in May and June. During this time, they will collaborate to create an exhibition showcasing the collection. There will also be opportunities to meet Eliabu during guided tours and art workshops.

The Artist

Eliabu Mbonimpa
Provenance researcher on the selected objects and artistic production as methods of interpretation and public engagement
TheMuseumsLab Alumnus

The initiative TheMuseumsLab CollabFund is funded by the Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation).