Once restricted to monuments, archaeological sites, and movable heritage collections, the definition of cultural heritage now includes historic urban areas, vernacular heritage, cultural landscapes (tangible heritage, which include natural and cultural sites), and even living dimensions of heritage and all aspects of the physical and spiritual relationship between human societies and their environment (intangible heritage).
Heritage can be cultural and natural. They are priceless, and you cannot attach value to them; they are irreplaceable possession of mankind. They are also an expression of the past manifested in the present, which is closely related to the difference in cultural and natural diversity.
Heritage is a comprehensive concept that consists of many diverse values like cultural, natural, historical, architectural, archaeological and geological values.
Heritage is a mirror of different ways of lives and habits; in other words, different cultures and eras of mankind and the society they live in. A well-preserved heritage enables communities to learn about their cultural history truly and chronologically. After World War II, the world has seen a gradual increase in technology and urbanization result in a series of threat to heritage – social, environmental and economic. Because of migration and industrialization, population density between rural areas and cities differs greatly. Globalization change people’s lives in an undeniable way, a way that is mostly stereotyped. This poses a great threat to intangible cultural assets.
Heritage is not a renewable resource; therefore, it should be conserved in the most efficient way. The word “preservation” has existed from the early time of human history. Until recently, preservation was seen as nearly equal to just protecting the physical assets, but now it is seen as a clear fact that when trying to protect heritage, national, social, cultural and economic aspects of the protection processes should be taken into account. It aims to conserve, use and develop the heritage and to sustain its value and significance by giving the heritage a compactible use. It is worth mentioning that the most important innovation of the management approach involves the sustainability principle.
What is cultural heritage?
Culture is a term used by social scientists for a way of life. Every human society has a culture. Culture includes a society’s arts, beliefs, customs, institutions, inventions, languages, technologies and values. Culture produces similar behaviour and thought among most people in a particular society. This definition of culture is adopted from Linton (1945), who says: “The culture of a society is the way of life of its members; the collection of ideas and habits which they learn, share and transmit from generation to generation” (World Book Encyclopedia, 2004).
Cultural heritage can be regarded as collective endowment of human existence or unique activities over a span of time and within a cultural area, which bears exceptional testimony to the culture, tradition, religion, and belief of the people. These properties form the basis of their living and existence, which are transferred directly or indirectly from generation to generation. In other words, a people’s cultural heritage is their way of life and, in a broad sense, their traditional behaviour including the ideas, arts and artefacts which are passed on from one generation to another (Banjo, 1997).
The preservation of cultural heritage is central to protecting a sense of who we are, a meaningful reference in our culturally diverse world. However, Sekler (2001) states, “There are many ways in which a cultural identity is formed and maintained. Much of the process has to do with the intangible cultural heritage of a body of traditions and usages, rites, poetry, song, and dance. A great deal of all these are passed on orally through generations. Consequently, its survival is always threatened.”
Risks and challenges of cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is affected by primary risks, that is, direct damage from natural disaster. Cultural heritage is also threatened by secondary risks that arise during recovery and reconstruction, including:
(i) rescue and relief measures that are carried out with no regard to heritage value of damaged areas (e.g., water damage from fire fighting and debris removal with no regard to heritage value);
(ii) looting of heritage buildings; and
(iii) reuse of cultural and natural heritage resources as fuel, food, and reconstruction materials.
Infrastructure repair or replacement (e.g., road widening) disregards or encroaches upon cultural assets. Temporary camps are sited without regard to cultural heritage concerns. Illegal and uncontrolled relocation and reconstruction spoil heritage landscapes or damage other assets. Financial assistance policies encourage demolition of heritage buildings. Authenticity and integrity may be lost because of inadequate repair and retrofitting measures.
Importance of conservation to cultural heritage
Conservators use their knowledge of art history, architecture, changing fashions and lifestyles to understand the context of the objects they work with, and to conserve them sensitively and appropriately. Cultural heritage conservation bridges the arts and sciences, creating an environment in which to examine both the composition of objects and their wider cultural and historical significance. It is a wide-ranging field with a remit that includes the care of paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, objects of decorative art and architecture. It is multidisciplinary, with conservators coming from a range of backgrounds, including the fine arts, art history and archaeology, chemistry, biology and materials science.
Conservation falls into two categories: preventive and interventive. Preventive conservation acts to slow down the rate of deterioration while interventive conservation aims to improve an object’s stability, for example, restoring an object more closely to its original appearance and making it more intelligible to the public.
Research into the context and significance of an object can help the public understand and identify with the object. In this way, the conservator can be seen as more than merely a protector or guardian of cultural heritage but as someone who works actively to promote public access and engagement with artefacts.
Through the protection of historical objects, art conservators contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage both for us and for future generations. By preserving cultural objects and artefacts of importance to our shared understanding of our history and heritage, conservators help to create a sense of shared human identity, contributing to the quality of life of those who engage with it.
Conservation makes an essential contribution to the whole of society, to education, to the advancement of knowledge, to tourism and to the economy; it ensures that our shared heritage is cared for and protected for the benefit, use and enjoyment of the public today and for generations to come.
Cultural heritage conservation helps a community to not only protect economically valuable physical assets, but also preserve its practices, history, and environment, and a sense of continuity and identity.
Cultural property may be more at risk from the secondary effects of a disaster than from the disaster itself, therefore quick action will be needed. Built vernacular heritage offers a record of a society’s continuous adaptation to social and environmental challenges, including extreme events, such as past disasters. This record can often be drawn on to design mitigation strategies for new construction or retrofitting.
Communities should prioritize which cultural assets to preserve, considering both cultural meaning and livelihood implications, although reaching a consensus may be difficult.
Cultural heritage conservation plans are best designed before a disaster but, in their absence, heritage authorities can and should collaborate to develop effective post-disaster heritage conservation strategies.
Because vernacular cultural properties are sometimes capable of withstanding local climate conditions, they may serve as safe havens where surrounding communities can temporarily relocate.
Recommendations
1) Coordinate disaster management with heritage authorities beginning in the first 48 hours following a disaster to avoid irremediable losses to cultural heritage sites.
2) Make sure that temporary camps for displaced populations are not located so that they create risks to heritage sites or properties.
3) Incorporate heritage and conservation experts in housing damage assessment teams or conduct specific assessments of cultural heritage housing and community resources.
4) Determine whether temporary works, such as strutting and shoring walls or temporary roofing, are needed to protect cultural properties or specific components (e.g. carvings, murals).
5) In post-disaster reconstruction, avoid the systematic demolition of vernacular houses and their surrounding habitat in an attempt to upgrade a community’s housing condition.
6) Create incentives for the conservation of vernacular housing, or consider declaring historic properties community property if the owners are not able or willing to save them.
7) Develop building guidelines and codes that are compatible with vernacular building practices.
8) Harmonize designs and building materials of new housing and settlements with local cultural and natural heritage.
9) Provide storage facilities for movable heritage properties so that they are not looted, sold, or removed from the community.
10) Use authentic materials and skills in repairing and retrofitting heritage buildings.
11) Ensure community participation in decisions regarding heritage conservation, and realize that the cultural and spiritual importance of heritage sites and properties may be very location-specific.
In conclusion culture and heritage tourism has been gaining importance recently not only for its’ economic gains but due to more sustainable approaches. As rural and regional economies go through difficult times of change, it may seem to some local communities that heritage can help in terms of economical gains. When what is old and valued in the community can no longer serve its original function, surely it can still attract funding and tourism as a part of cultural heritage. It is a well-known fact that a natural link exists between cultural heritage tourism and regional development.
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Osemeikhian is the Principal Curator, National Museum, Benin.
