1 / 41

Conservation Challenges at Seven African Rock Art Sites Terry Little

Conservation Challenges at Seven African Rock Art Sites Terry Little TARA – Trust for African Rock Art. “Africa has more rock art and the greatest variety of art of any continent on earth, as well as some of the oldest.” MARY LEAKEY Co-Founder, TARA

saxon
Download Presentation

Conservation Challenges at Seven African Rock Art Sites Terry Little

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Conservation Challenges at Seven African Rock Art Sites Terry Little TARA – Trust for African Rock Art

  2. “Africa has more rock art and the greatest variety of art of any continent on earth, as well as some of the oldest.” MARY LEAKEY Co-Founder, TARA TARA has recorded 800+ sites in 19 countries

  3. TARA’S MISSION Create a greater global awareness of the importance and endangered state of African rock art; survey sites; be an information resource and archive; and promote and support rock art conservation. TARA and UNESCO WHC in MOU since 2008

  4. Status of the Seven Sites 2 are listed WH Sites (there are 10 WH rock art sites) 1 listed WH natural site 1 on tentative list 1 recommended for tentative list 1 in a non-convention country 1 not national heritage

  5. UNESCO World Heritage Listing Blessing or Curse? Benefits: Increased Awareness Increased Tourism Risks: Invasion – no local involvement Unmanaged visitation Few models for sharing benefits

  6. Recent UNESCO listing: Malawi - Chongoni

  7. Malawi - Chongoni

  8. Africa’s Vanishing Art: Tanzania - Kondoa

  9. Tanzania - Kondoa Late White Paintings, Kondoa

  10. Tanzania - Kondoa

  11. Kenya - Kisii Production of Culture versus Protection of Culture:Kenya - Kisii

  12. Kenya - Kisii

  13. Kenya - Kisii

  14. Angola Serious Natural Threats: Angola – Tchitundu Hulu

  15. Angola – Tchitundu Hulu

  16. National Pride: Uganda - Nyero

  17. Uganda - Nyero

  18. Uganda - Nyero

  19. Heritage in a disputed State: Somaliland - Laas Geel

  20. Somaliland - Laas Geel

  21. Somaliland – Laas Geel

  22. Somaliland – Laas Geel

  23. Preservation in a continuing conflict: Niger, Dabous/Aïr

  24. Niger - Dabous/Aïr Dabous

  25. Barriers e.g. gates, fences, walls – often not efficient, practical or appropriate to protect (or valorize) sites Conservation - our premise: Namibia

  26. Best defense = people living on or near rock art sites if… • there is a spiritual link to the site • and/or • they perceive economic or social benefit from the site Conservation - our premise:

  27. Communities – UNESCO 2007 a) Heritage protection without community involvement and commitment is an invitation to failure; b) Coupling community to the conservation of heritage is consistent with international best practice, as evidenced by comparable international regimes; d) Heritage protection, should, wherever possible, reconcile the needs of human communities, as humanity needs to be at the heart of conservation.

  28. Uganda - Nyero

  29. Uganda – Nomination of Nyero and Twa Sites of Dolui and Karamoja

  30. Tanzania - Kondoa

  31. Tanzania - Kondoa

  32. Tanzania - Kondoa

  33. Niger – Post-conflict survey

  34. Niger – Conservation workshop

  35. Malawi - Chongoni

  36. Rock art as a Gateway

  37. What we have learned Communities know what they want - authentic information on their heritage. Build on that 2.Sites and settings will vary from place to place projects should be custom designed. 3. M & E needs to be embedded in the post project phase/ sustainability (monthly reports, quarterly site visits). 4. Heritage conservation projects have to give economic or social value for communities in Africa

  38. “The rock art of Africa makes up one of the oldest and most extensive records on earth of human thought. It shows the very emergence of the human imagination.” KOFI ANNAN UN Secretary-General 1996-2006

More Related