Publications
A Pandora’s Box: Indigenous Voices in Heritage Management Within the Mapungubwe and Makgabeng Cultural Landscapes in South Africa
This research highlights the critical tension between indigenous knowledge systems and Western-influenced heritage management practices, particularly within the Mapungubwe and Makgabeng Cultural Landscapes in South Africa. It reveals that while state-based heritage management has historically excluded indigenous communities, their inclusion could significantly enrich archaeological heritage management by drawing from collective memory, ritual practices, and indigenous knowledge. The study, based on semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, emphasizes the therapeutic potential of inclusive approaches to bridge the gap between Western and indigenous perspectives, advocating for a more indigenously sensitive management system that could unlock deeper cultural insights.
Collective Memory and Memory-Making within the Mapungubwe and Makgabeng Heritage Landscapes: Indigenous Voices Amongst the Sotho- and Venda- Speaking Groups of Southern Africa
Indigenous voices significantly enrich the understanding and management of cultural heritage, particularly in the Mapungubwe and Makgabeng Cultural Landscapes. This research reveals that indigenous groups employ a multifaceted approach to heritage identification, interpretation, and evaluation, utilizing physical site manifestations, ethnographic inquiry, oral history, spirit mediums, landscape memory, genealogy, and praise poetry. These practices, rooted in collective memory and ritual, offer deeper insights into the intangible aspects of archaeological heritage that are often overlooked by state-based management systems influenced by colonial and apartheid legacies. The study proposes a more inclusive archaeology and heritage management approach, advocating for the involvement of indigenous groups in all stages of heritage presentation to better capture the African past.
Heritage sites as tourism attractions: Spiritual, psychological and emotional toll on communities
Descendants of the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (MCL) view it not as a tourist attraction but as a solemn place for ancestral rest, with deep spiritual and emotional significance. The study reveals that colonial land demarcation into protected areas has caused a profound sense of loss and disconnection from their cultural heritage among these communities. Conducted through qualitative methods—including in-depth interviews and group discussions with traditional leaders—the research highlights the psychological and emotional toll on descendants who feel alienated from their ancestral lands, advocating for their meaningful engagement to preserve spiritual ties.
The landscape nexus
Landscape has emerged as a dynamic concept in heritage conservation, integrating history, nature, and contemporary life. The study highlights how landscapes—ranging from designed to associative forms—have been central to human culture across civilizations, from ancient frescoes to modern cultural landscapes like Mapungubwe in South Africa. It traces the evolution of landscape understanding through art, geography, and UNESCO's World Heritage Convention, which expanded recognition to include regions shaped by human activity. The research underscores a shift toward valuing holistic landscapes, exemplified by diverse sites such as Tongariro in New Zealand and wine-producing regions like Italy’s Langhe-Roero. Initiatives like the European Landscape Convention and LALI reflect growing efforts to preserve these multifaceted heritage spaces.
Empirical Stakeholder Perspectives
Stakeholder perspectives at the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site (MCLWHS) reveal significant challenges and opportunities for inclusive governance and sustainable development. The study highlights exclusionary practices, unequal power dynamics, and unbalanced relationships among stakeholders, particularly affecting Indigenous and Descendant Communities (IDCs). These communities demand greater inclusion in decision-making processes and equitable access to benefits derived from the site. The research employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze conservation efforts since the site's inscription, identifying key issues such as mining developments, tourism pressures, governance gaps, resource use conflicts, and infrastructural expansion. The findings underscore the need for stakeholder-driven approaches that balance conservation with development, addressing power imbalances and fostering inclusive governance frameworks.
History, Values, Significance, and Management of the Case Study
Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (MCL) stands out as a unique World Heritage Site, blending cultural and natural values across Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Its Iron Age sites hold outstanding universal value, while its biodiversity and scenic landscapes contribute to its ecological significance. However, the site's management has historically marginalized indigenous and descendant communities, reducing their role to occasional consultations within a Park Forum structure. This exclusionary approach contrasts with the site's potential for inclusive governance, highlighting the need for stakeholder engagement in conservation efforts.
Unmasking Stakeholders at World Heritage Sites
A diverse array of stakeholders at the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site (MCLWHS) have been identified, categorized, and profiled, revealing complex dynamics and governance challenges. The study highlights that while government departments, agencies, UNESCO, farmers, tourism, and private sectors dominate decision-making processes, Indigenous and Descendant Communities (IDCs) remain marginalized despite their demands for governance roles, development benefits, and access to shrines. Conflicts over land ownership, use, and resource access are prevalent, marked by counter-claims, intense negotiations, and rivalries among stakeholders. This suggests that stakeholder engagement at World Heritage Sites must be an ongoing process to address these tensions effectively.
Archaeology, baobabs and drought: Cultural proxies and environmental data from the Mapungubwe landscape, southern Africa
A 1000-year-long drought record from baobab trees refines the sequence of severe droughts documented in archaeological deposits at Mapungubwe, southern Africa. The study reveals that cultural practices—such as rainmaking rituals and burnt grain bins in villages—were responses to drought rather than violence or natural causes. While the early 14th-century drought coincided with the abandonment of Mapungubwe, this event was influenced by both environmental pressures and cultural factors. The research integrates ethnographic data, archaeological evidence, and carbon isotope analysis from baobab trees to reconstruct past climate-land-use interactions.
Architectural traditions of Mapungubwe and Bambandyanalo (K2)
Research identifies and reconstructs culturally significant architectural structures from the 11th to 13th centuries AD at Mapungubwe and K2, two former African capitals within South Africa's Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site. Key findings include single stonewalls, terraces with steps, platforms, mortar blocks, circular stone structures, game-hollows in rock surfaces, and pole-and-daub granaries or veranda-like structures, alongside evidence of palisades and stockade kraals. The study leverages original archaeological field reports from the University of Pretoria's Mapungubwe Archive to inform architectural reconstruction and educational displays at the Mapungubwe Museum. A transdisciplinary approach is proposed for further research to explain the cultural significance of these structures, building on decades of archaeological work since 1933.
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