Ethnographic Museum
Tamburo Parlante

In the ethnographic museum, housed in the picturesque rooms of the ex-convent of Saint Francisco, in Montone, more than 600 objects from East Africa are on display. The objects have been selected and arranged to illustrate a series of themes showing the interaction of human beings and nature in ways characteristic of each culture.
The display of objects in the Tamburo Parlante differs from that in traditional ethnographic museums. Rather than presenting each ethnic group in isolation, we have chosen to emphasise the commonalties. We feel that this approach allows us to overcome the paradigm of ethnic separation, a dangerous paradigm which was developed and perpetuated during colonial era and which is one of the most damaging consequences of colonialism. Visitors can discover for themselves the wealth of invention demonstrated by local populations in producing items necessary for daily life. Such a variety is an unequivocal sign of cultural vitality; a sign, which we feel, reflects accurately African reality today.