Browsing by Author "Bwinabona, Elgidius Ichumbaki"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    The state, cultural significance and management of built heritage assets of Lindi and Mtwara regions, Tanzania
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2012) Bwinabona, Elgidius Ichumbaki
    Tanzania possesses heritage assets spanning from Pliocene to present which should be conserved for both present and future generations. To assume their sustainability, Tanzania made legislations and policies and established institutions and departments. Despite such efforts, the majority of assets continue to get lost and some at an alarming rate. To address this issue, a study on the state, cultural significance and management of built heritage assets of Lindi and Mtwara regions was done. The study’s purposes were; to survey, identify and document built heritage assets, to assess their cultural significance and explore conservation and management challenges and strategies. To achieve this, both ethnographic inquiries and physical surveys were employed to collect data. Twenty one built heritage assets were identified, surveyed and documented. The assets’ cultural significances were also assessed. Documented assets date to between 10th and 20th centuries. These assets do explain various historic situations; existence of trade contact among Indian Ocean inhabitants, the colonial administrative systems of the 19th and 20th centuries and technological development during pre-colonial and colonial periods. Despite providing such important information, about 75% of these built heritage assets are in a dilapidated state. Numerous factors; both physical and anthropogenic contribute to this situation. To arrest the loss of these assets, the study recommends efforts to survey, identify, document, gazette and conserve potential built heritage assets. Also, this work recommends raising public awareness, improving collaboration among heritage stakeholders as well as adhering and integrating heritages’ policies, legislations and institutional frameworks.