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Heritage Management Important Element of Future Studies

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 Heritage Management

Important Element of Future Studies

Dr. Preeti Oza

St. Andrew’s College

University of Mumbai

Abstract:

Heritage is something with which we are born. We are the custodians of our heritage, and
today, when we are deliberating a lot on subjects like future studies, heritage management
becomes a very important part of that study. The most important reason to include heritage
studies for the future generation is that we cannot deny our past or shape our future without
looking back. This chapter discusses heritage, its important attributes, how it connects the
past to the future, and some of the ways and means to sustainably carry forward heritage
management for the betterment of today’s life.

Introduction:

“Go back to where you started, or as far back as you can, examine all of it, travel your
road again and tell the truth about it. Sing or shout or testify or keep it to yourself: but
know whence you came.” - James Baldwin

In the field of future studies, most people agree that thinking about the past is important
when thinking about the future. Both future studies and history put a lot of emphasis on the
past, so they have a lot in common. Historians have traditionally been interested in the
future. The method of "thinking with history" is beneficial for future researchers. Heritage
consists of anything of worth that has been passed down from one generation to the next,
be it material or intangible, natural or cultural, movable or immovable, or documented. The
meaning of the word "legacy" has evolved greatly through the years. Originally exclusively
referring to the monumental remains of former civilizations, the concept of heritage has
increasingly expanded to embrace both contemporary forms of culture and living cultures.
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Cultural traditions are significant because they provide people with a sense of belonging to
their communities and enable marginalized people to participate fully in social and cultural
activities. It may also provide methods that have been shown to be effective in the past for
avoiding conflicts and resolving them quickly.

The long UNESCO treatise on heritage helps states respect, admire, and understand each
other. It also provides a unique place for people from all over the world to work together
and talk. These pieces of legislation are meant to help make national heritage protection
policies that focus on conservation, administration, and education. War and natural
disasters are making it more and more likely for museums, libraries, and archives to lose
collections that show natural and cultural history. Over the past decade, the rise in the
deliberate destruction of cultural property has demonstrated the importance of UNESCO's
continued leadership in worldwide activities to combat cultural property theft and
trafficking.

Importance of Knowing Your Heritage

For eons, humankind has been actively trying to keep its history safe. They used a wide
variety of strategies, all of which were adapted to the circumstances. Take, for instance,
the magnificent, ancient Egyptian structure where the nation's history was recorded. The
same motivation drove Jewish scribes to make copies of priceless texts. Irish society relied
on bards, who might be thought of as professional poets, to keep historical events fresh in
the minds of ordinary citizens. These are just a few of the many communities that have
recognized the need to document their heritage. People keep records of their past in part to
ensure that future generations will have access to reliable information. Their goal is to
ensure that future generations may fully appreciate their heritage. Without proper
preservation, much of our history and our collective knowledge will be gone forever. When
events are documented, the audience has access to information that could be invaluable in
the present. The value of many fields becomes apparent when you consider the kind of
information that has been preserved over the centuries. For example, there is extensive
information available in many fields, such as law, international relations, psychology,

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economics, geography, language, sociology, medicine, and many more. The ability to see
these issues in a historical context can do wonders for expanding one's worldview.

It's just as important when researching your own family tree and trying to piece together
details. You get a chance to learn about the traditions that your ancestors practiced.
Discover new information about your unique heritage, as well as how your family and
culture have developed over time. In some instances, the information gathered will be
based on both genetic and environmental factors. Understanding your origins and family
tree will provide you insight into your unique personality. In fact, knowing your family
tree from a historical perspective can serve as a map and often shed light on what lies
ahead. This in no way negates the agency of human beings. Even though your decisions
today will affect your future, it would be naive to think that your ancestry won't play a role
in your life and the lives of those around you.

Importance of the Past and Hope for the Future:

There is a link between the past and the present. What happens next will be determined by
a mix of random chance and the daily decisions you make. Many current evaluations are
heavily influenced by prior experiences and events. The phrase "the present transforms the
past" is a fantastic quote from Kiran Desai's book Inheritance of Loss because it
exemplifies the dynamic nature of the interaction between our history and the present.
Desai's words, "Looking back you do not locate what you left behind," highlight the need
of living in the present now when trying to make sense of our pasts, which, despite its
apparent permanence and inaccessibility, is not fixed or unchangeable. Instead, it can be
visualized as a jumbled string of pearls that, if separated, can be reassembled into an infinite
number of patterns. Its adaptability allows for a variety of perspectives on the past and
what it signifies for the present. Heritage, in this view, is a cultural practice with the goal
of bridging the gap between the past and the present through the public presentation of the
historical aspects that contributed to the development of modern civilization. Desai's words
show how the past may reverberate in the present in ways we don't expect. Changing
cultural values accompany the development of societies, and these changes in turn affect
how people view their ancestry. Hence, the present holds a comparative advantage over the

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past. Our modern social and cultural ideals greatly influence our decisions about what to
remember and treasure as our legacy. In light of these shifts, we must redraw the lines
between what we hold dear, what we are proud of, and what we would rather forget about
our pasts. This perspective holds that heritage is not just fluid, but "requires continual
modification and assessment to see if it continues to fit the needs of contemporary society."
Things like your genes and the events of the past are irrevocably intertwined with your
legacy and cannot be separated. The events of your history can provide you the background
you need to fully appreciate where you came from and how you got to be the person you
are today. In their early 20s, many people are still searching for their personal identity. In
fact, digging into your roots is a great way to figure out who you are. What you find could
motivate you to improve yourself and the world around you. Understanding your heritage
as an asset is essential. It's unfortunate that you don't know about your rich history because
it has shaped who you are today. You should not only know and appreciate your roots, but
also impart this information to your offspring. Getting to know your family history is a
great way to learn about yourself and make positive changes in your life.

Heritage Connects Past to the Future:

Our heritage is the total of our ancestors' practices, buildings, and material possessions. It's
the myriad ways in which we interpret and apply them to our daily lives that are most
important. Heritage comprises more than only the act of storing, tracking down, exhibiting,
or restoring historical artifacts. It is both concrete and intangible in that historical structures
and archeological sites are as significant as concepts and memories of music, food,
language, and dance. The people should actively reflect, debate, and discuss heritage
issues. What should be preserved? When should we remember to forget something? What
kinds of experiences might we like, regret, or gain wisdom from? Who has the right to
claim "The Past," and who can truly represent past eras? Public life in today's multiethnic
culture includes extensive discourse regarding the pasts of individuals, communities, and
nations. The concept of "heritage" is relatively new but has far-reaching implications. It
could be incorporated into urban and regional plans for the future. It has the potential to
serve as the cornerstone for regional economic growth, the platform for intercultural
discussion, the springboard for moral introspection, and the groundwork for political

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acknowledgment. It is local and specific and both universal and universally shared. We
couldn't have the present we're living in or the future we're working toward without our
history.
Culture and history play a formative role in human society.
"Our cultural inheritance" is a mirror of the past that is either contemporary or postmodern,
and it helps to shape national stereotypes and regional identities. It links the historic
districts of numerous European cities. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and
Cultural Organization defines cultural heritage as "the legacy of material possessions and
intangible traits of a group or civilization that are inherited from earlier generations,
preserved in the present, and transmitted for the benefit of following generations."

The architectural works, works of monumental sculpture and painting, elements or

structures of an archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings, and combinations
of features, which are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history,
art, or science; groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which,
because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of
outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science; sites:
works of man or the combined works of nature and man, and areas including
archaeological sites which are of outstanding universal value from the historical,
aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological point of view.

Figure 1:1

The meaning and significance of cultural heritage according to The World Heritage
Convention, Article 1 Monuments:
(Source: http://whc.unesco.org/en/conventiontext/)

The history of a nation, region, community, or other group is what gives that group its
identity because it is unique and reflects the wide range of human creativity and
achievement. When you hear the term "cultural legacy," which of the following first comes
to mind? The term "cultural heritage" refers to the tangible and intangible artifacts and
characteristics that have been passed down from one generation to the next, preserved in
the present, and made available to the next. Buildings, artifacts, landscapes, texts, and

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literature are all examples of intangible cultural heritage. Cultural practices that have been
passed down through the generations but cannot be physically touched or seen by modern
audiences also fall into this category. Producing natural heritage such as landscapes and
biodiversity as well as traditional arts and crafts, folklore, and languages is just one
example. Additional forms include knowledge and practices pertaining to nature and the
cosmos, as well as oral traditions, performing arts, social norms, rituals, holiday
celebrations, and so on. Heritage must be protected and preserved no matter its size, shape,
or form. To what end, then, should we take measures to ensure its continued existence?

Is there a point to all the safeguarding and preserving?

Cultural norms and customs shape human communities. Each of us was exposed to stories
about our culture's history and ancestors that served to shape our identities. History has
always been a stepping stone to the future of humanity. The world we currently inhabit was
fashioned by previous generations. Keeping our history alive is crucial to give each area,
region, or group its own distinct identity. Both tangible and intangible legacies help shape
modern societies in important ways. For these reasons, taking measures to preserve,
conserve, and protect something is crucial. The historic environment has been proved to
boost the local economy, particularly through tourism. Not only can a lasting legacy help
bring in tourists, but it also keeps doors open for potential investors and helps existing
firms thrive.

Repurposing existing buildings is crucial to the development of eco-friendly

neighborhoods. Protecting cultural resources has the potential to increase social inclusion.
All ages of students can benefit from field trips to museums and other historical locations.
World Heritage sites provide opportunities for adaptation and mitigation of climate change
because of ecosystem services such as water and climate management and carbon
deposited in global forest ecosystems.

The customs and traditions of a group that has been passed down through the generations
constitute its cultural heritage. It changed over time. Landmarks, monuments, folklore,
customs, dialects, ways of doing things, artistic expressions, ideas, etc., are all examples of
cultural artifacts that are worth fighting to keep around for future generations. People have
ties to particular moral codes, religious tenets, and ceremonial practices that stem from

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their ancestry. It also helps them meet people who share their experiences. A person's
cultural heritage can provide them a sense of community and belonging within a group, as
well as a better understanding of their ancestors and their history. Having shared cultural
history can help people feel connected and appreciated. It stands for who we are, where
we've been, and where we're going. In this age of globalization, it is vital that people from
different backgrounds communicate with one another and learn from one other's traditions
and customs.

Cultural Legacy- Tangible and Intangible:

Cultural legacy comes in two forms: tangible and intangible. There is actual evidence of
cultural history. Structures, locations, and artifacts from the past that are important enough
to be preserved for future generations are included. Important artifacts from a culture's
archaeology, architecture, science, and technology are examples of these. The study of
human history relies heavily on physical objects because of the clarity they lend to abstract
concepts. Both a mobile and a stationary inheritance count as tangible. An example of
immovable heritage is a building, in contrast to portable heritage such as a painting or
artifact.

Traditionally, the absence of a material remnant is used to characterize cultural legacy as

intangible. Oral traditions, performing arts, social customs, rituals, holiday celebrations,
knowledge of nature and customs related to it, religious ceremonies, the ability to create
traditional crafts, music, dance, literature, theater, languages, and cuisine are all examples
of cultural practices that have been passed down from ancestors. The fact that intangible
history can only be appreciated through direct experience makes it difficult to preserve. It
will take the combined efforts of the whole community, not just one person or group, to
protect it. This is due to the fact that having a tangible legacy provides a sense of belonging.
Many strategies exist for safeguarding our intangible cultural artifacts.

For instance, continuing to communicate in our native tongue helps to ensure that it will
not be lost. If we stop using our native tongue, it can be abandoned. Festivals and parades
full of color and good times mark our national holidays. But consider the potential damage
we would cause if we failed to hold a celebration or carnival that draws people from far
and wide within a year after the last one. Also, we ought to take advantage of cultural

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activities whenever we can. The best way to ensure that something is passed on for future
generations is to use it frequently.

It is important to realize that the people of the existing nation state consciously selected
what we now believe to be our cultural inheritance in order to foster a sense of shared
identity. Who we are as a people can be seen in the stories we choose to tell about our past.
The cultural traditions we have inherited are crucial to our way of life. That's what keeps
us faithful to our own particular faiths and customs. Protecting our historical records is a
collective responsibility. These are nine very good reasons to preserve our cultural
traditions.

Meaningful thoughts and messages are conveyed, group unity is strengthened, and
connections to ancestors and origins are made possible through the medium of storytelling.
It is a symbol of a community's shared identity. Our sense of self, allegiance, knowledge,
beliefs, emotions, and conduct are all significantly impacted. It serves as a catalyst for
economic growth. In order to develop a strategy for peace and mutual understanding, it is
necessary to comprehend the diversity of individuals.

• People's technological, artistic, and intellectual development are reflected in it. • It

encourages a deeper comprehension of our complicated cultural foundations.
• It is a unique and priceless source of inspiration and life.
• The preservation of our cultural legacy goes beyond mere sentiment. Everyone
must perform their duty.

What improvements are possible in terms of safeguarding and preserving our cultural
heritage? Increasing community understanding of cultural assets is crucial for identifying
the various methods that can be developed for their preservation. It is possible to preserve
the past by doing the following things: teaching our own children to uphold the traditions
and beliefs of our ancestors and encouraging them to pass these traditions and beliefs on to
future generations; urging people to learn more about monuments and their significance;
and joining groups that support educational initiatives and cultural heritage-promoting
museums; developing curricula for teaching about cultural heritage in our schools; •

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refraining from writing on the walls of historical and prehistoric sites ourselves or with
others.

Taking part in community-based research on the preservation of cultural heritage,

gathering and disseminating knowledge about cultural heritage through the media, such as
newspapers and magazines, seminars and lectures, as well as attending and organizing
significant events like festivals, carnivals, cultural activities, and competitions. Libraries
and museums play a significant role in preserving and promoting our cultural history,
which is why sharing it with others is the best way to preserve it. We must preserve world
history if future generations are to have the same opportunities we do to learn about the
history and our own lineage.

The fundamental cornerstone is the culture of each country and community. Culture cannot
be created in a single day, week, or month. Culture in a society takes time to develop.
Understanding our cultural heritage may increase our sense of self-assurance and promote
stronger community bonds. It can be vital to our society and act as the foundation for
building a strong sense of national identity by bridging the gaps between the past, the
present, and the coming generation.

How to start?

The importance of preserving, understanding, and presenting India's built heritage must be
acknowledged at various levels.

a. On a global scale, by connecting with historical accounts and routes of cultural exchange
and learning from other countries' traditions, we can forge closer ties with one another in
the future.

b. At the national level: As a vehicle for nation-building and branding of its distinct cultural
identity, India's World Heritage Sites, which tell the tale of its varied, complicated, and
rich history, are iconic locations and majestic monuments in every region.

c. Local Level - To oversee sustainable development of its historic cities and places at the
local level, tying directly with reuse and socioeconomic advantages to the community
while concurrently achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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 Significant phases of the process:

1. National Documentation and Database

2. Using Technology to Promote National Heritage

3. Preservation of Cultural Property

4. Archaeological site excavation and investigation

5. Establishing On-Site Museums

6. Marketing, revenue-generating, and heritage tourism

Conclusion:

Of course, the trends and advancements covered in this chapter only touch on a small
portion of the management of cultural or archaeological resources in general as well as
heritage. Each nation has distinctive qualities and probably unique challenges that, albeit
frequently kept at the national level, might improve the world conversation. Instead of
focusing on certain cultures or nations with regard to heritage management, as may have
been expected, there is a lack of conversation across diverse countries in the world. It may
take another ten years of international cooperation to increase involvement in debates of
inter-national, intra-national, and even global significance.

References:

• Carman, John, and Marie Louise Stig Sørensen. "Heritage studies: An

outline." Heritage Studies. Routledge, 2009. 29-46.
• Messenger, Phyllis Mauch, and George S. Smith. "Cultural Heritage
Management." A Global Perspective, Gainesville: University Press of
Florida (2010).
• Millar, Sue. "Heritage management for heritage tourism." Tourism
management 10.1 (1989): 9-14.
• Watkins, Joe E., and John Beaver. "What Do We Mean by “Heritage”? Whose
Heritage Do We Manage, and What Rights Have We to Do So?." Heritage
Management 1.1 (2008): 9-35.

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