Page 25 - Research & Innovation Report 2020

HUMANITIES

Tangible, Intangible &

Marine Heritage Sites

Heritage conservation remains largely focused
on tangible heritage in the Global North. While
there are more than 1000 World Heritage Sites
on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, Africa has only
145 of these and three can be considered World
Marine Heritage Sites. These are the iSimangaliso
Wetland Park in South Africa, Barc d’Arguin in
Mauritania and the Sanganeb Marine National
Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine
National Park in Sudan.
Marine heritage refers to the valued natural
biodiversity of South Africa’s oceans and coasts.

Maritime heritage refers to the tangible artefacts
associated with the nation’s naval and oceanic
history.
Prof Rose Boswell Marine intangible cultural heritage consists
of valued orature, rituals, beliefs and practices
cohesive continent that recognises and draws on its cultural riches. associated with the oceans and coasts.
The project emphasises the importance of Africa leveraging culture
for sustainable human development, including ocean development.
The conservation of cultural heritage can foreground the riches –
the cultural ‘gifts’ passed from one generation to the next; songs,
poetry, folklore, rituals, values, wisdom, artisanal livelihoods,
learning and languages that Africa can offer the world.” heritage – shipwrecks and other tangible material found under
the sea, such as sculptures that signify historic cultural heritage.
She says, “As the Chair, we are growing our national and global Research is also being done on the impact of ocean mining on
partnerships to explore, research and document ocean cultures underwater cultural heritage. Meanwhile, in Tanzania, we are
and heritage in South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya and focusing on ocean rituals and tangible heritage site management
Namibia, with several postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers in coastal communities, notably Stone Town in Zanzibar – a World
exploring different aspects of ocean culture and heritage and the Heritage Site.
necessity of including this dimension in ocean management.
“In Kenya we are working with the Institute for Anthropology in
“In Mozambique, for example, we are interested in researching Nairobi, as well as independent researchers, researching issues
illicit ocean economies and their impacts on social cohesion and of cultural heritage and the social impact of port development
culture in Mozambique. We are also looking at underwater cultural in Kenya, notably on Lamu Island. Lamu has an extraordinary

“ ... it is critical that vulnerable coastal and

indigenous people’s voices are heard and

included in important decision-making

processes within the ocean economy ... ”

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