Jaho Brahaj: We have deficiencies in our museums in the enrichment of museum artifacts from the period of the 1990s until today

The International Day of Museums that was marked a few days ago brought attention back to the importance, but also the condition of these institutions. For the researcher Jaho Brahaj, the enrichment that should be done with objects is also a concern. In the interview for the "SOT" newspaper, researcher Jaho Brahaj says that museums are institutions that preserve and popularize the historical, cultural, scientific or even thematic heritage of the development of human society, but according to him, more attention should be paid to the museums of our country. The researcher Jaho Brahaj says that what should be appreciated for the period after the Second World War is because several museum centers were also created, which had an extraordinary value in the funds that began to be deposited, to be cartelized, that is, to be given their passport even scientifically. One of the problems that researcher Brahaj sees is the conservation of objects. He says that there are museums for which almost nothing has been done about the preservation conditions of the objects. Jaho Brahaj has also spoken before about various problems of our cultural heritage. In his activity, Brahaj has published articles and studies in the periodical and scientific press and has spoken in scientific activities inside and outside Albania.  

-The International Day of Museums is marked every year on May 18. This day was created by ICOM (International Council of Museums) in 1977 aiming to raise awareness of the importance of museums in the development of society. The International Day of Museums continued this year through various activities in our country. As a researcher, what can you tell us more about museums and their importance?

Museums are institutions that preserve and popularize the historical, cultural, scientific or even thematic heritage of the development of human society in its steps that it has taken since ancient times until today. Museums are important institutions and foci for the social, cultural and historical education of successive generations of human society. The history of museums in our country starts from the 18th century, when we had private museums established in the city of Pristina in Kosovo, we had a very small museum from the Bushatllinj of Shkodra, and then in the twentieth century we had the beginnings with institutionally organized museums such as the Tirana museum in 1924 and other museums. But we must never forget, because in our land there were people with rich collections, either with historical relics, or with old publications, or with other objects that tell about the history of our past and were also museums, because they were also open to different parts of their society. For example, in Vlora, in the Vlora family, we have an extraordinary collection that was inherited by Eqerem Vlora, and he was also an institution, since he was also friendly with the citizens of Vlora, etc., and was viewed in a slightly wider way than a private residence. In the period of the Albanian kingdom, either with the archaeological excavations made by foreigners with state agreements, or even with random finds or archaeological excavations by Albanian persons who are Albanian citizens, small organized museum centers began to be opened. An example was that of the Jesuits in Shkodër, which dates back to the 19th century, and the highly qualified museum with scientific criteria, such as the Franciscan Museum in Shkodër. After the liberation of the country after the Second World War, the Albanian state has given extraordinary importance and attention with a state and social organization to museums and museums were opened in the main cities of our country, mainly historical museums and ethnographic museums. But there has never been a lack of museums with special themes, according to the traditions and heritage of special centers of our country. There was a tendency here, which deviated the museum work a little, because propaganda that interested the power and the regime of that period began to be introduced here, however, I should not underestimate because very good work has also been done, especially in the enrichment of funds, in the reflection of various historical, cultural, scientific and educational events. But what should be appreciated for the period after the Second World War is because several museum centers were also created, which had an extraordinary value in the funds that were found and began to be filed, to be chartered, that is, to have their passports even in scientific way. And they are almost the largest part of the existing museums in our country today, which rely on museum relic objects,which they inherit from the period of 1945 to the period of 1990. This should bring us a responsibility as a society, because we have done extremely little work, little work after the 1990s.

-Ju thoni që shoqëria ka bërë një punë të vogël sa i takon fondeve muzeale, por sipas jush ku janë sot mungesat?

Ne kemi mungesa sidomos në pasurimin e artefakteve muzeale nga periudha e viteve 1990 dhe deri më sot. Kjo për mua është shqetësuese dhe duhej bërë më shumë për pasurimin e muzeve me objekte. Kjo duhet bërë nga institucionet me ndihmën e shtetit, me fondet buxhetore të shtetit, por gjithashtu dhe atyre të pushtetit lokal.

-Ne kemi disa muze në vendin tonë. Një pjesë janë lokalë dhe një pjesë janë muze kombëtarë, ku disa prej këtyre të fundit kanë pasur dhe investime. Por me aq sa ju jeni në dijeni, ku janë problemet sot nëpër muze, si është gjendja tek ato ku nuk ka pasur investime?

Shqipëria veç muzeve që duhet bërë më shumë për pasurimin e tyre me objekte ka edhe muze të pasur me objekte dhe relike, sepse muzetë ndryshe nga sa konceptoheshin para viteve ’90-të janë institucione që ruajnë objektet, reliket historike të tipologjive të ndryshme siç janë dhe fushat e zhvillimit shoqëror, kulturor, shkencor etj. Muze shumë të pasur dua të përmend ato që janë të Tiranës, Muzeu Etnografik i Krujës, Muzeu Historik i Shkodrës, Muzeu Etnografik i Beratit, Muzeu Kombëtar i Artit Mesjetar i Korçës, të cilët i plotësojë nevojat e shikuesve qoftë të popullsisë shqiptare qoftë dhe për të huajat. Por një problem për disa muze është që nuk është bërë pothuajse asgjë për kushtet e tyre dhe të ruajtjes së objekteve, sepse ato janë një pasuri që duhet t’iu lihen edhe brezave në të ardhmen. Këtu duhet të përmendim që kemi edhe muze siç është Muzeu Historik Kombëtar në Tiranë apo muze të tjerë, të cilët nuk kanë as edhe një bërthamë të vogël, një celulë të restaurimit ose të konservimit të objekteve dhe relikeve muzeale.

-Problemet me konservimin e objekteve janë përmendur dhe nga të tjerë specialistë të trashëgimisë kulturore në vendin tonë. Por çfarë sjell kjo sipas jush?

If we do not preserve these objects that we have in addition to the continuous enrichment of our museums with new objects, then we only make a big mistake for which in the future we will have deficits and deficiencies, both in the preservation of objects and in poverty. of preserving our cultural heritage. For example, jublet was introduced as an asset of humanity, an endangered asset. Which institution managed to restore, conserve, create all the conditions to preserve a jubilee so that we have it even after 100 years preserved in our museums? No museum. We are not talking then that we should have set up a museum center within the museum or a special one where we could show all the processes and learning of jubilation, since this is also an object that has been appreciated by the prestigious institutions of the world. I said this more to show that we are not showing an attention and we do not have a vision for preserving the heritage for the coming generations of the objects that we have today available and possible to conserve, preserve and popularize in the first place to us Albanians and then also to foreign viewers.

Interviewed by: Julia Vrapi