Sichtbar machen, was war – und was bleibt

Die Palau-Objekte aus der Ethnologischen Sammlung der Universität Tübingen zwischen Kolonialismus, Forschung und digitaler Teilhabe

Abstract

The engagement with objects from the Palau Islands in the Ethnological Collection of the University of Tübingen exemplifies how colonial holdings can be recontextualized, researched, and made digitally accessible in the 21st century. This article focuses on the role of artist and researcher Elisabeth Krämer-Bannow during the Hamburg South Seas “Expedition” (1908-1910), the colonial acquisition contexts of the objects, and their current classification as ‘difficult heritage’ in the museum. An interdisciplinary student research project reconstructed object biographies and critically reflected on the possibilities and limitations of equitable cooperation with partners in Palau. The resulting digital exhibition Colonial Shadows links colonial collection histories with questions of global accessibility and digital participation. The article makes a case for open, critical, and cooperative approaches to decolonising university collections.