Paper short abstract:

Based on ethnographic research in south-eastern Nigeria, this paper presents two contrasting manifestations of family memory in the context of the Nigeria-Biafra war (1967-1970), and the impact of national heritagisation policies on how families remember and forget.

Paper long abstract:

Family memory allows for the formation of generational identity through shared experiences. This identity is often in reference to, or constituted around, status or remarkable events, such as war. Many works in the field of memory studies, especially in the context of 20th century conflicts, have focused on the intergenerational transmission of memory (and trauma) within the family unit. Less studied, however, is the outcome of the intersection of family memory and national heritagisation policies. That is, what happens when a family’s memory is also at the centre of a nation’s history? How does the socio-political dynamics brought about by national heritagization policies affect the remembrance processes of families in the context of past conflicts? Drawing on the ‘Biafra war’ (1967-1970) and ethnographic research in south-eastern Nigeria, this paper presents two contrasting manifestations of family memory: Family A – with no ‘official’ heritage recognition – quietly celebrates the memory of their grandfather who as a king during the war and helped recruit soldiers and distribute relief materials for the Biafran side; Family B is irked by the myriad of issues caused by the official recognition of their grandfather’s house – where the peace treaty that ended the war was signed – as a national monument. Both family memories are entangled in the same war but only one must carry the ‘burden’ of remembering for themselves but also for the nation. This paper explores the impact of heritagisation on the (re)generation and propagation of family memories and memorial practices in the aftermath of violent conflicts.