Project History
Banda Research Project and the Banda Heritage Initiative
1986: Dr. Ann Stahl, then based at the Institute of Archaeology in London, worked with Mr. James Anane to record the oral histories of Banda area families with funding provided by the British Academy.
1989: Excavations at the 18th to 19th-century site of Makala Kataa, directed by Dr. Ann Stahl, then based at the State University of New York, Binghamton with funding provided by the Wenner Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research.
1990: Excavations at the 18th to 19th-century site of Makala Kataa, directed by Dr. Ann Stahl, SUNY Binghamton, with funding provided by the National Geographic Society.
1991: Study of contemporary hunting practices and excavations at 20th-century middens, undertaken by Andrew Black, then doctoral candidate at SUNY Binghamton with funding provided by the US National Science Foundation.
1994: Excavations at the 18th to 19th-century site of Makala Kataa, directed by Dr. Ann Stahl, SUNY Binghamton, with funding provided by the US National Science Foundation. 1994: Study of contemporary potting in Dorbour, Dumboli, Adadiem and Bondakile undertaken by M. Dores Cruz, then doctoral candidate at SUNY Binghamton with funding from the US National Science Foundation.
1995: Excavations at the 14th to 17th century site of Kuulo Kataa, directed by Dr. Ann Stahl, SUNY Binghamton, with funding from the US National Science Foundation.
1995: Study of bead use in contemporary contexts conducted by Alex Caton, then MA student at Binghamton University.
1995: Dedication of the Banda Cultural Centre, a joint effort of the Banda Research Project and the Banda Traditional Council.
1997, 1999: Regional Survey and site testing by Leith Smith, then doctoral candidate at Syracuse University in New York, with funding from the US National Science Foundation.
2000: Excavations at the 14th to 17th century site of Kuulo Kataa, directed by Dr. Ann Stahl, Binghamton University , with funding from the US National Science Foundation.
2001: Regional site testing project directed by Leith Smith, doctoral candidate at Syracuse University, Dr. Ann Stahl PI with funding from the US National Science Foundation.
2001: Expansion of the Banda Cultural Centre, a joint effort of the Banda Research Project and the Banda Traditional Council.
2008: Excavations at the 13th to 17th century site of Ngre Kataa, directed by Dr. Ann Stahl, Binghamton University with funding from the US National Science Foundation.
2009: Excavations at the 13th to 17th-century site of Ngre Kataa, directed by Dr. Ann Stahl, Binghamton University with funding from the US National Science Foundation.
2009: Video documentation of life in Bui Village prior to forced relocation of its residents due to construction of the Bui Hydroelectric Dam by Devin Tepleski, then undergraduate student at the University of Victoria, with funding from an internal SSHRC grant, University of Victoria, Canada.
2011: Study of plant use and foodways by Amanda Logan, then doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, with funding from the US National Science Foundation and the Wenner Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research.
2011: Re-dedication of the Banda Cultural Centre and Banda Heritage Celebration. Launching of heritage poster resources (Learning about Life in the Past; The British Colonial Period; Banda in the 18th and 19th Centuries; Banda in the 15th to 17th Centuries; Banda in the 13th to 15th Centuries), and reissuing of “Banda Family Histories” brochure, supported by an Internal Research Grant from the University of Victoria's Research division.
2014: Olden Times Food Fair, organized by Dr. Amanda Logan, based at Northwestern University's Department of Anthropology, and Banda Queen Mother Lelɛɛ Akosua Kepefu, with funding from the Wenner Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. Launching of cultural heritage posters on Histories of Farming and Drought; Feeding the Family; Housing the Family; Clothing the Family; and Learning from the Past.
2015-2016: Participation of Dr. Ann Stahl in the "Institute on Digital Archaeology Method and Practice," at Michigan State University's MATRIX Digital Humanities Center. The Institute was funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and in the period August 2015-August 2016, provided the context and infrastructure support for development of a pilot "Banda Thru Time" digital heritage repository, hosted by MATRIX.
2016: Consultations leading to the founding of the Banda Heritage Initiative. With seed money from the University of Victoria's Research Services, Dr. Ann Stahl consulted with Banda Traditional Council members and Banda elders on the interest in and protocols around making heritage photos accessible through a digital repository.
2018: Banda Heritage Initiative launched through funding provided by the "Improving African Futures Using Lessons from the Past" Partnership Development Project funded by the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Community-engaged research activities centered on interviews, story-telling and performances sparked by photo archives.
2019: Banda Heritage Initiative Community Workshop centered on digital heritage consultations and exploring the potential to develop school curriculum based in digital heritage resources.
28 June, 2019: Banda Heritage Celebration. An event sponsored by the Banda Heritage Initiative at which Banda area people came together to celebrate the diverse heritage of surrounding communities, with performances of dance, music and crafting by people from Ahenkro, Boase, Bongase, Dompofie, Dorbour, Fawoman, and Sabiye.
2020: Launching of University of Victoria Libraries Banda Through Time digital heritage exhibit and repository.