Heritage on the periphery

The governance of archaeological heritage, mostly in the global south, is impeded by competition with complex socio-economic and political interests among different stakeholders namely policy-makers, politicians, local communities, academics and other interest groups. This paper examines the interactions and involvement of state and non-state actors in the management of archaeological heritage sites, ancestrally linked to a minority ethnic group, and situated in the marginal Hwange district in north-western Zimbabwe. Special reference is made to the stone-built archaeological structures that are historically associated with the descendants of the Nambya state, a precolonial socio-political formation that came into demise in the early 20th century. Today, the Nambya people remember, celebrate and revere some of the stone-built archaeological places such as Bumbusi, Mtoa and Shangano that are located in Hwange district. However, in spite of the local reverence, these archaeological sites are poorly conserved, unprotected from wild life and other related threats. Following Laurajane Smith’s (2006) authorised heritage discourse theory, this paper discusses how the current state-driven and controlled heritage administration system, haunted by the legacy of colonialism, is struggling to meaningfully engage other key players such as resource ministries, non-governmental organisations, universities and local communities in promoting the good governance of archaeological heritage

Cultural heritage · Cultural heritage management · World heritage · African studies and sociopolitical issues · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation