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[PANEL] 0105 CURRENT PRACTICES AND DISCUSSIONS ON HERITAGE IN ETHIOPIA
Organizers:
FIKADU Kassa, Department of Archaeology and Heritage Management, Mekelle University, Ethiopia
Paper presenters:
ABEL Assefa; DERESSE Ayenachew; FIKADU Kassa; Peter GAEHTGENS; MELESE Worku; ABAY Banthun
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CURRENT PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES ON URBAN HERITAGE MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF ADDIS ABABA CITY [Abstract ID: 0105-01]
The city of Addis Ababa, due to its political and geographical importance encompasses historical significant urban heritages that are associated with its foundation and growth. Although these heritages are being identified and acknowledged by concerned government institutes and some incorporated on the City’s Master Plan, they are currently in danger as a result of poor cultural heritage management. This paper therefore, attempts to identify and discuss the current practice and challenges on management of the city’s urban heritages generally, and historical buildings in particular. It seeks to discuss and propose a strategy to overcome the current urban heritage management challenges by adaptive re-use of architectural heritages by promoting Public Private Partnership. It also gives a glimpse and attempts to bring to light new issues on how conservation and adaptive reuse of historical buildings meets Ethiopian Government strategy towards green economy. Furthermore, considering the diversity and potential for urban heritages and established cultural institutes where one historic quarter of the city consists, this study attempts to suggest for integrating these resources in the urban planning and create a ‘cultural zone’ for the city.
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DISCOURSE ON MEDIEVAL HERITAGE AND EXPANSION OF THE CHRISTIAN KINGDOM OF ŠAWĀ (17TH -19TH C) [Abstract ID: 0105-03]
The Šawān kings established their kingdom on the ruins of Ethiopia’s medieval heritage. To legitimize their expansion to the south, they claimed a mission to restore the lost glory of the medieval Christian kingdom of Ethiopia. This discourse of restoration was legitimized by the search for medieval sites, which were identified from chronicles and oral accounts, as well as by ‘archaeological’ excavations. However, it would seem that the Šawān kings had no interest in conserving the ancient ruins once they had used them to expand their kingdom. They erected new monuments over identified medieval sites. The verb used for “restore” is addassa አደሰ, which means renewal rather than restoration. After the battle of Adawā (1896), for example, Menilek II (1889-1913) pursued a program to renew the medieval churches, destroying the medieval ruins once they had served their purpose of expansion in Šawā. The Šawān kings were more interested in restoring intangible heritage than in preserving the physical traces of history. Their vision of the new era was to build over the ruins of the past. The two capitals Addis Ababa and Addis Alam, built on the ruins of medieval sites, were renamed as a paradigm of the concept of renewal, አደሰ. This paper seeks to show how the identification of medieval heritage was used to support the Šawān kingdom’s political discourse of territorial expansion. It also sheds light on how this notion of renewal shaped ideas of heritage conservation in Šawā in particular and in Ethiopia in general.
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JESUIT STRUCTURAL HERITAGES IN WEST GOJJAM, ETHIOPIA [Abstract ID: 0105-04]
West Gojjam is home for several aged monuments that preceded the ecclesiastical and secular Jesuit structures. However, these architectural heritages are not adequately studied, documented, and conserved; hence, most of them are found in ruins under fast deterioration that could totally demolish them before their cultural heritage significances are adequately assessed and exploited. This qualitative study, however, will try to give collective record, systematic description and analysis of these cultural heritages within the frame of local background history. Moreover, this research will emphasize on the assessment of cultural heritage values of the monuments and their current state of conservation, issues which were almost ignored by previous studies. Thus, eight monumental sites which comprise various structural remains of Jesuit residences, church, and bridge will be included in this study. The documentary research, oral tradition, and careful observation and recording of the physical fabric will provide valuable information about the monuments which will be descriptively analyzed to understand the nature of site selection and distribution, architectural features, construction materials, site use and structural alteration. Generally, although these monuments have aesthetic, historical, scientific, communal and economic values, they are on the verge of total destruction due to manmade and natural causes of deterioration. Thus, quick and appropriate conservation measures backed by further scientific studies are necessary to attain the above mentioned heritage values.
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THE RETURN OF KEBRA NAGAST TO ETHIOPIA [Abstract ID: 0105-05]
Kebra Nagast describes the legendary visit of the Queen of Saba to King Salomon which led to the birth of their son Menelik who, when grown up to be a young man and returned from a visit to his father in Jerusalem removed the arc of covenant from the Great Temple and brought it to Axum. Symbolically, this narrative stands for a transfer of God's blessing to the Ethiopian people and claims spiritual power and divine legitimacy for the „Salomonic dynasty“ of Ethiopian Emperors. Compiled from much older legends passed on through generations in the persian/arabic/judaic world, the text was written down around the end of the 13th century AD. Its message legitimised and thus stabilised Ethiopia's monarchy and was highly valued over many centuries. None of the important manuscripts of Kebra Nagast had been left in Ethiopia, when, in the wake of the Napier expedition against Emperor Tewodros I. in 1868, the loot of Magdala had been transported to England. Yet, following a request from Emperor Yohannis IV in a letter to Queen Victoria, one of the Magdala manuscripts which had been deposited in the British Museum under signature OM819 was restituted, in December 1872, to Ethiopia by decision of the Museum's Trustees. In 1914, this manuscript was shown,, by Emperor Menelik II to the French Hugues LeRoux. Today's location of OM819 is kept a secret and not accessible for academic study, conservational assessment or public view. Besides presenting the fascinating fate of OM819, the Poster proposes, in support of cultural ownership and identity of the Ethiopian public, an exhibition of this manuscript together with its „sisters in kind“ from London, Oxford, Paris and Berlin, on occasion of the 150th anniversary (December 2022) of Kebra Nagast's return to Ethiopia.
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THE ROLE OF TOURISM AND CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION FOR NATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN CASE ATSIE FASIL GHIMB, GONDAR, ETHIOPIA [Abstract ID: 0105-02]
Cultural heritage one of the excellent parts of the tourism industry. It is powerful for national economic development. Gondar town, in Northern Ethiopia, has won the admired status of a classified UNESCO world cultural heritage locally known as the Atsie Fasil Ghimb. This site has great potential for sustainable tourism development, as it plays a significant role to attract tourist and contributes national economic developments. The purpose of the study is the role of tourism and cultural heritages conservation for national economic developments in Atsie Fasil Ghimb. The study was conducted (2015) in Gondar. Both primary and secondary data sources were used. The study was based on a cross-sectional survey of 135 sample size was selected based on direct impact on tourism sector (23 professional, 45 tourism services provide like guiders, guide associations, loges, tourist destination hotels, handicraft producers and sellers and government employees, 54 was taken from domestic and international tourists, and 13 purposely selected key informant). Data were analyzed using SPSS and Microsoft excel. The result of survey revealed that 82% responded that tourism significantly contributes to the local and national economy. Tourism generates high income and employment opportunities to local communities. The number of those who joined the sector as government employee has increased from 2000 employees in 2011 and increases to 4800 in 2015. The number of employees engaged in hotels, restaurants, pensions, lodges etc. revealed that there are about 5500 persons employed excluding other indirect employees and the income level increased from birr 80,000 and birr 300,000 in 2007 to birr 1,230,000 and 7,768,019 in 2015 from domestic and foreign tourists respectively. Developing a creative promotional program, coordination among relevant stakeholders, conservation and protection of heritage sites and active participation of both private and public sector are necessary to implement heritage tourism marketing.