The Museum Absence: Sociological Implications for Reconstructing the Collective Memory of the Galician Diaspora

This contribution examines the reasons and implications of the absence of a migration museum in Galicia, a region profoundly shaped by emigration. The Galician diaspora has played a crucial role in forging the identity of its people and preserving their culture, often from contexts of exile and political resistance. Through a theoretical framework that integrates existing literature on migration museums, it is argued that the lack of a dedicated space to represent these narratives significantly limits the construction of an inclusive collective memory and undermines the national identity of the diaspora. In this context, a museum approach is proposed that incorporates the voices of emigrants and their descendants, emphasizing the importance of such a space in recognizing critical perspectives on migration, including the darker aspects silenced in official history. By analyzing diverse narratives surrounding Galician emigration and the diaspora—developed by institutions, political parties, and socio-cultural entities, such as the Galician Centers abroad—the study investigates the “disputed discourses” regarding the collective memory of emigration. This work is grounded in documentary research and interviews, reflecting on the sociological implications of these discursive disputes in both symbolic and material realms, which ultimately contribute to the impossibility of creating a migration museum. The absence of such a dedicated space deprives the community of cultural recognition and perpetuates a cycle of forgetting that affects future generations. Ultimately, the lack of a museum limits the community’s ability to narrate its own history, an essential process for constructing a collective memory.