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Paper short abstract

This paper stems from the context of organising an exhibition and its subsequent display in Lisbon. The aim is to reflect on the polarised ideas and very different discourses about Portuguese colonialism and the myths that are still associated with it today.

Paper long abstract

This paper stems from an exhibition in Lisbon that aimed to reflect on polarised ideas and the various discourses surrounding Portuguese colonialism.

The exhibition formed part of the 50th anniversary commemorations of the Carnation Revolution, which took place on 25 April 1974. These commemorations celebrated the end of the colonial war, the liberation of peoples under colonial administration, and political democratisation in 2024.

The exhibition, titled Deconstructing Colonialism, Decolonising the Imaginary, opened at the National Museum of Ethnology in Lisbon in October 2024 and ran until March 2026.

The exhibition has been reported on in the media, primarily in newspapers and magazines. However, it has been noticed in some articles that the content and critical tone of the exhibition have not always been well received. Some articles reveal significant unease regarding criticisms of Portuguese colonialism, slavery, sexual violence, the colonial war and the difficulty of accessing citizenship for much of the colonised population. Moreover, criticism of this exhibition, as well as hatred and discrimination, is most often expressed in an extreme way on social media and blogs.

The current moment, with the rise of far-right movements and political parties across Europe, has contributed to this polarisation and the return of myths. Furthermore, street demonstrations inciting violence and hatred against populations of African descent or immigrant populations have been organised.

This context, which considers Europe and beyond, prompts urgent reflection, to which anthropology can make a significant contribution.