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EN
ES
FR
Réf.
41869
Type
conference item
Titre
The dilemma of preserving intangible heritage in Zimbabwe
Langues
English
Auteurs
Katsamudanga, Seke
Date
2003
Pagination de section
1-6
Titre de conférence
14th ICOMOS General Assembly and International Symposium: ‘Place, memory, meaning: preserving intangible values in monuments and sites’
Lieu de conférence
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Date de conférence
27 – 31 oct 2003
Mots-clés
intangible heritage / conservation / legal protection / definitions
Résumé en anglais
The incompleteness of cultural heritage without theinclusion of intangible heritage can not be overemphasised.
The norms (behaviours, rules etc) and values(ideas and/or belief systems) a society ascribes to its
cultural heritage determine its importance. Preservingintangible heritage is crucial for communities still
practising their traditions, but might be an elusiveundertaking as only the intangible heritage connected to
visible physical remains can be identified.The Zimbabwean government recently gave more powers
to chiefs, and consequently we have been seeing a seriesof documentaries on traditional practices on the national
television station. Each chiefdom wants to show itsidentity, and most call for being accorded rights to
practise traditional ceremonies even at sites that are nownational monuments. This is quite proper and is in line
with the concept of African renaissance. From a heritagemanagement point of view, however, the problem comes
when nomination for monument status has to beconsidered. Which shrine or place should be nominated
and what is the significance of that for the nation? Whatcultural perception does the nominator has over the
invisible significance?This paper intends to look at the dilemmas of preserving
intangible heritage in the face of changing culturalperceptions in Zimbabwe. It is quite unfortunate that
major historical developments have been antithetical tothe preservation of traditional cultural values in Africa.
The kind of education and the historical legacy left bycolonial dogma is still affecting the preservation of
intangible itineraries. The struggle in the management ofintangible heritage in Zimbabwe is also a mirror of the
struggles between the old and the young. It is also astruggle between the idealism of the past and the
materialism of the present.
The norms (behaviours, rules etc) and values(ideas and/or belief systems) a society ascribes to its
cultural heritage determine its importance. Preservingintangible heritage is crucial for communities still
practising their traditions, but might be an elusiveundertaking as only the intangible heritage connected to
visible physical remains can be identified.The Zimbabwean government recently gave more powers
to chiefs, and consequently we have been seeing a seriesof documentaries on traditional practices on the national
television station. Each chiefdom wants to show itsidentity, and most call for being accorded rights to
practise traditional ceremonies even at sites that are nownational monuments. This is quite proper and is in line
with the concept of African renaissance. From a heritagemanagement point of view, however, the problem comes
when nomination for monument status has to beconsidered. Which shrine or place should be nominated
and what is the significance of that for the nation? Whatcultural perception does the nominator has over the
invisible significance?This paper intends to look at the dilemmas of preserving
intangible heritage in the face of changing culturalperceptions in Zimbabwe. It is quite unfortunate that
major historical developments have been antithetical tothe preservation of traditional cultural values in Africa.
The kind of education and the historical legacy left bycolonial dogma is still affecting the preservation of
intangible itineraries. The struggle in the management ofintangible heritage in Zimbabwe is also a mirror of the
struggles between the old and the young. It is also astruggle between the idealism of the past and the
materialism of the present.
Document joint
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