2015 Projections MORUGA MUSEUM

Moruga Museum R.I.S.E.S Moruga Museum R.I.S.E.S For the year 2015 the Moruga Museum will work on achieving 5 interconnected objectives: R- research research I-internationalize S- solicit help E- educate and engage S-support

The Moruga Museum intends to build its research initiative by expanding its current archaeological sites in an effort to truly become leaders in Morugan and by extension Trinbagonian history. In January 2015,the Museum intends to launch a photo drive, soliciting black and white photos of the early 20 th century from members of the community. This will provide a glimpse into the past lives of our citizens highlighting trends in clothes, hairstyles etc. in an effort to retain information that will indefinitely appeal to the masses.

With the Moruga Museum just one year old, it has seen more “press time” than its predecessors of the island. This can be accredited to its unique look on history, its attention to the peoples of the Moruga community and its distinctive flare for cultural identification. Curator Eric Lewis has answered the call for bringing greater attention to the community of Moruga and its tangled web of history that needs to be heard on an international scale. In the upcoming year, the Museum looks forward to expanding on what has already started with the global recognition of its accomplishments.

Managing Director Mr. Eric Lewis intends to represent Trinidad and Tobago and by extension the museum on a global scale heavily in the upcoming year. Mr. Lewis intends to represent the country and the Museum at the 2015 edition of MuseumMeet in the Swiss city of Geneva between April He will also represent us at Archaeological Society Of Jamaica 13 th Symposium on Caribbean Archaeology, Conservation and Material Culture between 8-9 th April Additionally, representation will be made at The 3 rd Annual Student Archaeology Conference in the University of Edinburgh, School of History, Classics and Archaeology on the 11 th and 12 th June 2015.

2015 Publications While internationalization is a key goal for 2015, the Museum never foregoes its local responsibilities and as such, the national public will be made aware of the Museum’s latest findings as well as bringing a sense of ‘Moruga’ generally to the wider public. This will be a accomplished through a series of publications in attempt to place Moruga on the map in a positive light.

Albeit one year old, the Museum is currently in need of extensive growth and development. Although concern has been great and assistance visible, the Museum still lacks the basic amenity of electricity, office supplies and adequate storage equipment. We hope at the advent of the new year, that these shortcomings can be rectified. As such, we hope to continue our efforts in soliciting help from the relevant authorities and individuals in attempt to maximize the museum’s potential.

The museum retains its objective in being a catalyst for regeneration through the creation of new venues and civic spaces, and a resource for developing the skills and confidence of members of the community.

We will be using our unique collections and services to address social issues among the youth particularly by providing an alternate area for recreation leisure, where persons will be able to actively be involved in the affairs of the museum. It is our hope and through a number of programmes to foster a sense of pride in the museum from the Moruga community and to encourage greater local appreciation and involvement. We hope to achieve this by continuing and extending the Moruga Museum Mobile(MMM) drive.

M.M.M- Moruga Museum Mobile “Bringing the past within your grasp” “Bringing the past within your grasp” With the success of the M.M.M last year, the year 2015 promises to bring this programme into more schools with renewed vigor. What the M.M.M does is take artefacts and other items out of the museum and repository and brings these items into schools, institutions or themed events along with relevant lectures and information provided by the curators.

Audio-visual room The Museum understands that everyone learns and appreciate differently, therefore, we hope to incorporate an audio-visual room. The smaller, cinema-style Audio Visual Room would be suitable for smaller presentations and talks for up to 30 people. This venue space can also be used in conjunction with an event that may require a dedicated AV space, for instance housing themed exhibits like African history where a movie or documentary can be shown to compliment the African exhibit.

While Moruga Museum is still in its formative stage, we at the Museum underscore the importance of founding fellow community-based museums and retraining the traces of our past in all communities. The Moruga Museum also notes specifically the potential that the Princes Town region possesses and hopes to foster the guidance needed in realizing this potential.