ONCE restricted to monuments, archeological sites, and movable heritage collections, the definition of cultural heritage now includes historic urban areas, vernacular heritage, and cultural landscapes (tangible heritage, which include natural cultural sites) and even living dimensions of heritage and all aspect of the physical and spiritual relationship between human relationship society and their environment (intangible heritage).
Heritage can be cultural and natural, the are priceless, and you cannot attach value to them, they are irreplaceable possession of mankind. It is 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 that can consist of many diverse values like cultural, natural, historical, architectural, archeological and geological values. Heritage is a mirror of different way of lives and habits, in other words, different cultural eras of the mankind and the society they live in. A well preserved heritage enables communities to learn about their cultural history truly and chronologically. After the World War II, the world has seen a gradual increase in technology and urbanization result in a series of threat to heritage social, environment and economical. Because of migration and industrialization, population density between rural areas and cities differs greatly. Globalization change peoples lives in an undeniable way, a way that is mostly stereotype. This kind of fact pose 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 beginning of the very early time of human history, but its definition. Until recently preservation is nearly equal to just to protect the physical assets, but now it is seen as a clear fact that when trying to protect heritage, national, social, cultural and economical aspect of protection, process should be taken into account. It aimed to conserve, use and develop the heritage and to sustain its values and significance by giving the heritage a compactable use. It is worth of mentioning that, the most important innovation of the management approach involves the sustainability principle.
CULTURAL HERITAGE
Culture is a term used by social scientist for a way of life. Every human society has a culture. Culture includes a society arts, beliefs, custom, institutions, inventions language, technologies and value. Culture produces similar behavior and thought among most people in a particular society. This definition of culture is adopted by Linton (1945), who says; the culture of a society is the way of life of its member; 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 a collective endowment of human existence or unique activities over a span of time and within a cultural area, which bear exceptional testimony to the culture, tradition, religion, and belief of the people. These properties form the basis of their living and existence, which are transfer directly from generation to generation. In other words, a people’s cultural heritage, therefore, is their way of life and, in a broad senses their traditional behaviour including the ideas, acts and artifact 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) stated that; “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 usage, rites, poetry, song, and dance. A great deal of all these are passed on orally through generations, consequently, its survival is always threatened….”
RISK AND CHALLENGES OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
Cultural heritage is affected by primary risks, that is, direct damage from the natural disaster.
Cultural heritage is also threatened by secondary risk during recovery and reconstruction, including:
(i) Rescue and relief measures that are carried out with no regard to heritage value of damage areas (e.g,. water damage from fire fighting and debris removal with no regard to heritage value);
(ii) Looting of heritage buildings; and
(iii) Rescue of cultural and natural heritage resources as fuel, food, and reconstruction materials infrastructure repair or replacement (e.g…. road widening) disregard or encroaches upon cultural assists.
Temporary camps are site without regard to cultural heritage concerns.
Illegal and uncontrolled relocation and reconstruction spoil heritage landscape or damage other assets.
Authenticity and integrity may be lost because of inadequate repair and retrofitting measures.
Alasan U. Modus is the head of Conservation Units, National Museum, Benin City.
