TUCKED away in the Anjuman Sunnat ul Jamaat (ASJA) Education Complex, Charlieville, is a remarkable trove.
Housing approximately 300 artefacts, 4,000 books and 400 display posters, the ASJA Archives and Museum is an important, if unheralded, part of the story of heritage preservation in this country.
“When I reach for the artefacts in the museum, I feel like I reach for our forefathers and form a direct link with them,” the curator of the collection, former public servant Kashma Khan, 67, told this newspaper recently.
“Here, we celebrate our culture and heritage as Muslim brothers and sisters, showcasing the history and contributions of Muslims, ASJA and Islam to our country. We highlight the legacy of our past imams and pioneers.”
Today, we observe Indian Arrival Day, taking stock of the varied and complex legacy that people like Mr Khan have been tirelessly working to shine a light on and preserve.
But in a sign of the remarkable richness of our national heritage, we also mark Corpus Christi, the Roman Catholic Church’s commemoration of the Holy Eucharist; the idea of the real presence of God in traditions. In addition to processions, thousands of people will partake in the ritual of planting seedlings.
[caption id="attachment_1086663" align="alignnone" width="768"] Kashma Khan -[/caption]
Both commemorations are arguably about keeping alive the unseen but nonetheless profoundly powerful forces that shape our lives.
It is fitting, therefore, that we highlight the vital work being done by individuals like Mr Khan in helping to maintain an institution that is essential if we are to foster understanding.
The data, documents, books and artefacts at the ASJA museum – much of which has been painstakingly assembled and cared for over the years by him – are just part of an unfolding, national story.
Anyone familiar with the history of museums in this country and their plight will not be surprised to learn that there’s a lot more work in the preservation space to be done.
The ongoing renovation of the National Museum and Art Gallery in Port of Spain, which involves restoration, demolition, utility upgrades and external works, according to Udecott, raises the hopeful possibility of a more promising fate for all museums in this country.
Equally, without a clear sense of a framework for the management of the myriad museum spaces – some private, some public – that exist in pockets throughout the country, it is hard to see the heritage sector advancing to where it should: becoming a vibrant, modern and indispensable part of our tourism and recreation sectors, capable of embracing the varied needs of a highly multicultural society.
As Mr Khan might attest, museums are more than museums. At their finest, they can be showcases of both the past and the present. Within their walls might be planted the seeds of enduring harmony.
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