Musée du Quai Branly Hosts Weekend Anthropology Festival Exploring Human Societies

The Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris is organizing the seventh edition of its biennial event 'Anthropology Will Surprise You' on April 4-5, 2024. This weekend program aims to explore diverse human societies through the lens of multiple temporalities and rhythms. The event coincides with the museum's 20th anniversary and features a rebranding that emphasizes 'anthropology' over 'ethnology.' According to Benoit de L'Estoile, the museum's research and education director, this shift reflects a move away from viewing traditional societies as static and outside history, toward a focus on shared human experiences and diverse ways of being human. Approximately 15,000 attendees are expected. The festival includes around thirty events such as short lectures by young researchers, musical conferences, film screenings, and concert-readings. Specific presentations will examine topics like the Kanak people's approach to birthdays, the rhythmic patterns of flamenco, and the work schedules of domestic staff for the ultra-wealthy. One highlighted session involves the revived 260-day Maya cholq'ij calendar in Guatemala. Another features a collaboration between Beninese percussionist Yewhe Yeton and sociolinguist Cécile Van Den Avenne, presenting a century-old recording from the 1931 International Colonial Exhibition. The event serves to make anthropological research accessible to the public and mark the institution's anniversary with updated scholarly framing.