MA Student Geofrey Mwanza’s mapping project supports archaeological research in Zambia

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September 10, 2026

Maps developed by Geofrey Mwanza, a final-year MA in Global African Studies student at The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, were used by archaeologists researching Iron Age sites in Zambia during summer 2026. Geofrey, who specializes in Museum and Critical Heritage Studies, used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to digitize and map archaeological sites in the Livingstone region. The work began as a praxis project for GAS 616: Museum Management and Heritage as a Career and went on to support researchers working on the ARCREATE project. The course was taught in Spring 2026 by Dr. Kristina Dziedzic Wright, Okwui Enwezor Postdoctoral Fellow in Visual Culture, Performance Studies and Critical Humanities at The Africa Institute, GSU. Geofrey’s project involved collecting, organizing, and visualizing archaeological data, connecting course discussions with practical work in documentation and digital preservation. “The experience enabled me to move beyond theoretical discussions about museums and heritage management and engage with the practical realities of archaeological documentation, digital preservation, and interdisciplinary collaboration,” Geofrey said. ARCREATE is headed by Dr. Per Ditlif Fredriksen of the University of Oslo and Dr. Foreman Bandama, a curator at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Working collaboratively with local communities, the project synthesizes the creative knowledge of Bantu-speaking craftspeople in two regions of central and southern Africa. For Geofrey, the work also raised questions about how digital technologies can contribute to more inclusive and decolonized approaches to heritage management, building on themes explored in the course. Originally from Zambia, Geofrey is a heritage consultant and researcher with interests in impact assessments, restitution, and policy. His studies focus on heritage governance and decolonial practices. The mapping project extended his experience into digital heritage management, an area he sees as increasingly significant to his field. Maps developed by Geofrey Mwanza, a final-year MA in Global African Studies student at The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, were used by archaeologists researching Iron Age sites in Zambia during summer 2026. Maps developed by Geofrey Mwanza, a final-year MA in Global African Studies student at The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, were used by archaeologists researching Iron Age sites in Zambia during summer 2026. Geofrey, who specializes in Museum and Critical Heritage Studies, used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to digitize and map archaeological sites in the Livingstone region. The work began as a praxis project for GAS 616: Museum Management and Heritage as a Career and went on to support researchers working on the ARCREATE project. The course was taught in Spring 2026 by Dr. Kristina Dziedzic Wright, Okwui Enwezor Postdoctoral Fellow in Visual Culture, Performance Studies and Critical Humanities at The Africa Institute, GSU. Geofrey’s project involved collecting, organizing, and visualizing archaeological data, connecting course discussions with practical work in documentation and digital preservation. “The experience enabled me to move beyond theoretical discussions about museums and heritage management and engage with the practical realities of archaeological documentation, digital preservation, and interdisciplinary collaboration,” Geofrey said. ARCREATE is headed by Dr. Per Ditlif Fredriksen of the University of Oslo and Dr. Foreman Bandama, a curator at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Working collaboratively with local communities, the project synthesizes the creative knowledge of Bantu-speaking craftspeople in two regions of central and southern Africa. For Geofrey, the work also raised questions about how digital technologies can contribute to more inclusive and decolonized approaches to heritage management, building on themes explored in the course. Originally from Zambia, Geofrey is a heritage consultant and researcher with interests in impact assessments, restitution, and policy. His studies focus on heritage governance and decolonial practices. The mapping project extended his experience into digital heritage management, an area he sees as increasingly significant to his field.

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