Over the past decade, the Portuguese public space has witnessed a dispute between decolonizing impulses and conservative forces, reflecting global movements with unique national characteristics. This collective memory contention often involves the contraposition between glorifying the national past and exposing the dark pages of its own history. However, Portuguese Military Museums have largely remained untouched by this debate, immune to reshaping their collections. As part of my PhD research, I had the chance to analyze the “Mouzinho de Albuquerque room” in the Military Museum of Lisbon and the “Gungunhana room” in the Military Museum of Bragança. This proposal aims to reflect on how the anachronistic exhibition models used in these museums continue to reproduce the dichotomy of the colonial hero (Mouzinho de Albuquerque) imprisoning the savage enemy (Gungunhana). Since the end of the fascist dictatorship (1974) and colonial rule (1975), few changes have been made, perpetuating a Eurocentric and ultimately racist narrative. With this case study, I hope to compare these narratives with similar issues in military museums internationally and explore pathways for reshaping these institutions as agents of historical dissemination. Engaging with these narratives is crucial for fostering a more inclusive and accurate representation of history, locally and globally.

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Decolonization,Gungunhana,Portuguese Military Museums,Mozambique

• Other Social Sciences - Social Sciences
• History and Archeology - Humanities