Posted on June 13, 2010
Africa is renowned as a continent of great diversity as it is endowed with a wide range of heritage resources. However, the continent has few heritage properties inscribed in the World Heritage List compared to other regions. This article discusses some poignant issues pertaining to the imbalanced ratio of African World Heritage sites versus the rest of the world; it pinpoints the challenges affecting the inscription, sustainability and opportunities in their use, in a fast globalizing period. This essay analyses some recent landmark developments which have seen more African properties inscribed as World Heritage properties. Africa must rise up to these challenges and fight not only to inscribe her rich heritage to the world map but also to maintain them professionally.

In 2001, UNESCO adopted the Universal Declaration of Universal Cultural Diversity after members realized that the 1972 Convention was basically dealing with Western heritage that favoured European and North American state parties. But even before 1994 the Committee had established new criteria such as Traditional Knowledge Systems, Trade Routes, (Itineries) and Traditional Industrial Complexes. Principally this was a move towards more representivity in the listing of world heritage properties, resultant to which many African sites were inscribed to the World Heritage List. In 2006, the World Heritage List included 830 with only 82 sites from Africa, accounting to roughly 10% of the total World Heritage properties. The statistics were not very different in the three successive years; 2007 (851 properties: 660 cultural, 166 natural and 25 mixed), 2008 (878 properties: 679 cultural, 174 natural and 25 mixed parties).

Of the 29 properties inscribed during 2008 32nd Session in Quebeck, Canada, only 2 sites were from Africa - the Le Morne Cultural Landscape (Mauritius) and the Sacred Mijikenda Kayas which include 11 sites that were given one serial number . During the 33rd Session held in Seville, Spain in 2009 the World Heritage Convention added 13 new properties to the World Heritage List and lost one property; thus currently the World Heritage List includes a total of 890 properties, out of which 689 are cultural, 176 natural and 25 properties in 148 state. Last year the Ruins of Loropeni in Burkina Faso was the only property listed from Africa . The above statistics lead us to one big question: Why do few African heritage properties get inscribed to the prestigious World Heritage List? Apparently there are innumerable and varied contributing factors key of which are listed below.

 

 


  • Outdated colonial legislation that is mostly biased towards tangible heritage associated with the aspects of archaeological, palaeontological, aesthetic, scientific and artistic values.

  • Many African countries have not recognized intangible heritage properties, except for a few like Malawi and South Africa. The Tangible and Intangible heritage are intertwined; the latter refers to heritage resources associated with a place and which are not expressed in fabric but in languages, songs, activities like music making and dancing, storytelling, memory and routine; places of symbolic meanings, etc. UNESCO adopted Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity following which this criterion was proclaimed in 2003. Hence the Gule wa Mkulu (the Great Dance) masquerade performances of Malawi were inscribed according to this criterion .

  • Most African governments have different priorities like healthcare, education progammes, poverty reduction programmes and provision of clean water; hence they give little or no concern to their country’s heritage sector.

  • Conservation policies are not integrated into sustainable government policy frameworks encompassing heritage management.

  • Poor planning and management of heritage resources where sometimes heritage managers condone the destruction of the heritage they are obliged to protect .

  • Heritage management very difficult owing to insufficient and professionally qualified human resources.

  • Inadequate financial and infrastructure resources for effective management of heritage properties.

  • Incomplete or non-existent national heritage resource inventories (databases) from which the state party nomination dossier to the World Heritage List originates.

  • Lack of networking among heritage professionals – no sharing of information, knowledge and best practice.

  • Traditional heritage conservation methods have not been fully acknowledged in Africa.

  • Lack of community participatory mechanisms for involvement of local communities especially the youth in conservation and management planning processes.

  • Lack of awareness: politicians, decision makers and communities unaware of their roles in heritage conservation and management.

  • Civil strife, terrorism and political sabotage (eg, Rwanda, DRC, Somalia, the recent burning of Kasubi Tombs).



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As remedies to the African heritage problems the converse of the above should suffice. Moreover, Africa should produce heritage practitioners with local and global views, who appreciate the diversity and dynamism of heritage, and are equipped with the tools to manage their resources. They must be professionals who appreciate that some heritage resources are non-renewable by ingraining indigenous perceptions of heritage in the legislations; professionals who appreciate and contribute to the democratization of heritage in relation to access, ownership, management of institutions and knowledge production. To manage the heritage holistically the legislation must be inclusive of the communities who produced, used and conserved those heritage resources. Heritage management is a collective obligation including the corporate sector, and not only the preserve for governments, national parks or communities.

Africa should also document and patent her indigenous knowledge systems as security against foreign appropriation: The Kenyan Ciondo, a bag made from sisal or bark, and Khanga (women's wrapper) which were appropriated by Japanese and British companies respectively are examples of African ineptitude. Like the Japanese, Africa must appreciate and inscribe her Griots (storytellers), poets, musicians, craftspeople and prophets.

Kaningu Kalume Tinga is the Head, Sites and Monuments, Mombasa - Kenya. Has worked with the National Museums of Kenya since 1986). Currently MA Student in History, specializing in Museum and Heritage Studies, University of the Western Cape, South Africa.