Community Archives Without Communities? An Analysis of Government-Initiated “Community Archives” in Zimbabwe

Simbarashe Shadreck Chitima

doi:10.25159/2663-659X/19003

Authors

Simbarashe Shadreck Chitima Midlands State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-659X/19003

Keywords:

community, community archive, subaltern, registry, sense of community

Abstract

The government of Zimbabwe, through the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and facilitated by the National Archives and Records Management Service of Zimbabwe (NARMSZ), has established community archives nationwide with the goal of having at least one archive in each province. This study investigated the sense of community in these government-initiated archives, employing qualitative research methods to understand local perceptions and engagement. The findings reveal that the so-called community archives function primarily as municipal registries and storerooms, with minimal community participation in their establishment, governance, or collection development. The study concludes that unless there is a shift from this top-down approach to a genuinely participatory model—one that prioritises community engagement, inclusive governance, representative collections, and improved accessibility—these archives will continue to serve bureaucratic purposes rather than act as meaningful custodians of local and diverse histories and heritage in Zimbabwe.

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