L’éducation au patrimoine co-créée en Haut-Uélé

This research investigates the co-creation of primary-level heritage education in Haut-Uele, DRC—a region marked by colonial disruption and ongoing epistemicide— drawing upon social pedagogy, socioconstructivist theory, and auto-ethnographic experience. The project brought together teachers, families, elders, and educational authorities through participatory interviews, focus groups, and hands-on workshops, closely involving local actors at every stage. Museum objects and associated intangible heritage were collaboratively integrated into school curricula, with content continually adapted through collective validation and the lived experiences of participants. The methodological framework emphasized inclusive dialogue, contextual learning, and critical reflection, directly addressing epistemic injustice and cultural rupture. The findings highlight that such educational restitution—realized through co-creation, dialogue, and reflexive engagement—not only fosters cultural pride, intergenerational negotiation, and safe engagement with sensitive heritage; it promises to outweigh material restitution as colonial reparation and as a source of empowerment for local communities

Citizen journalism · Colonialism · Cultural heritage · Empowerment · Ethnography · Injustice · Participatory action research · Reflexivity · Restitution · Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Agriculture · Museums and Cultural Heritage · New Caledonia Indigenous Studies