Publications
Conflict Dynamics Between Artisanal Miners and Host Communities in Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe
A significant conflict exists between artisanal small-scale miners and local communities in Matobo District, Zimbabwe, particularly concerning the UNESCO World Heritage site of Matobo Hills. The study reveals that while miners earn substantial incomes supporting livelihoods, they face accusations of environmental damage, theft, robbery, sexual assault, and other crimes, exacerbating tensions. Weak policy enforcement and corruption further intensify these disputes, reflecting a broader struggle for survival among competing interests. The research used a mixed-methods approach, combining interviews, questionnaires, and observations to uncover these dynamics, highlighting the urgent need for improved land-use policies and mechanisms to foster peaceful coexistence.
Investigating Geometrical Granite Landscapes: A Comparative Framework, with Case Studies from California and Montana
Granite landscapes can sometimes mimic human construction with features like planar faces, right-angle intersections, and stepped terraces. While some of these forms are naturally occurring due to joint-controlled weathering, others may indicate human modification. This study introduces a comparative framework to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic origins, using an eight-category morphological typology (Types A-H) applied to case studies from California (Three Rivers and Kirch Flat) and Montana, alongside global comparanda such as Sardinia, Great Zimbabwe, and Yosemite. The research avoids definitive conclusions about the sites' origins but highlights their significance for future investigation. By defining testable predictions and operational classification thresholds, it provides a method to systematically analyze granite landforms, bridging geological processes and archaeological inquiry.
Role of Stakeholder Collaboration in Innovation in Cultural Heritage Tourism
Stakeholder collaboration is pivotal in driving innovation within cultural heritage tourism, particularly in developing countries like Zimbabwe. A systematic review of 100 peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2025 reveals that multi-stakeholder engagement—encompassing local communities, government agencies, private sector players, and international organizations—enhances site management, visitor experiences, and sustainable development. The study highlights the transformative potential of digital technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), which can overcome infrastructural deficits while deepening visitor engagement. Case studies from Great Zimbabwe and Matobo Hills underscore the benefits of participatory governance and the integration of indigenous knowledge systems. Additionally, public-private partnerships (PPPs) and inclusive policy frameworks are identified as critical in mobilizing resources and ensuring equitable benefits for local communities.
Art rupestre, territorialités et paysages des chasseurs-collecteurs du Late Stone Age au Zimbabwe (Matobo Hills, 13000 - 2000 BP)
Rock art from the Matobo Hills, Zimbabwe, reveals complex social and cultural dynamics among Late Stone Age hunter-gatherers (13000–2000 BP). This study demonstrates that the 'fine-lines' iconographic tradition played a pivotal role in shaping territorial identities, social structures, and spiritual landscapes over millennia. By analyzing thousands of decorated sites within this granitic massif, researchers identified significant variability in placement, density, themes, styles, and techniques—suggesting diverse functions and chronologies. The findings challenge simplistic models of occupation, such as Nick Walker's, by integrating rock art into broader socio-economic and mobility networks. This interdisciplinary approach combines archaeological evidence with stylistic analysis to reconstruct how hunter-gatherers renegotiated their relationship with the landscape through persistent symbolic practices.
AmaDinga alahlelwa emaguswini
Colonial displacement of the BaKalanga people from Matobo Hills, Zimbabwe, is remembered through their narratives as 'being dumped' ('ukhulahlwa') in 'wildernesses' ('emaguswini'). This study reveals how the BaKalanga viewed resettlement areas as inferior and mocked inhabitants there, while they themselves were derided as nomads ('Madinga') by other communities. By centralizing displaced voices, it challenges colonial perceptions of Matobo Hills as untamed land, offering a critical lens to understand struggles for ancestral land from the perspective of those forcibly evicted.
Materialities of Graves in Colonial Matobo, c1890-1960s
Graves in the Matobo Hills, Zimbabwe, serve as powerful symbols of historical struggle and community resistance against state power. This study reveals that while the colonial state sought to dominate through control of graves, local communities—including the Ndebele and BaKalanga—weaponized these sites to assert autonomy and defy authority. Using ethnographic methods, the research demonstrates divergent trajectories between state and community narratives surrounding Matobo's landscape, highlighting graves as central to negotiations of belonging over a century. The findings underscore how material culture, particularly burial sites, encapsulates broader power dynamics at UNESCO-listed heritage sites, offering insights into colonial legacies and indigenous resilience.
A strategy to alleviate poverty in the Matobo Hills World Heritage Site of Zimbabwe.
World Heritage Sites (WHSs) face significant challenges in fully eradicating poverty, even when they offer substantial social and economic opportunities. A study focusing on the Matobo Hills WHS in Zimbabwe reveals that while such sites can contribute to alleviating poverty through tourism and conservation, their potential is limited by the multidimensional nature of poverty—encompassing socio-cultural, economic, political, and environmental factors. The research highlights that sustaining the physical landscape often takes precedence over fulfilling international obligations for poverty eradication, necessitating a more nuanced approach at national and local levels to ensure realistic and effective strategies.
The Intangible in World Heritage in Africa: Recognising the Invisible: Case Studies of the Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage ZAMBIA, Pendjari National Park, BENIN and Matobo Hill World Heritage Zimbabwe
This research reveals the critical role of intangible heritage in the sustainable management and strategic usage of World Heritage Properties, particularly in Africa. It demonstrates that integrating 'unspoken' or often-unrecognized intangible elements—such as traditional systems and values shared by local communities living near these sites—can 'complete' the narratives of these properties, enhancing their preservation. The study employs case studies from three African World Heritage Sites: Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls (Zambia), Pendjari Biosphere Reserve (Benin), and Matobo Hills (Zimbabwe). Through critical analysis, it underscores how community engagement and the recognition of intangible heritage contribute to more effective conservation strategies. The approach involves defining 'community' as local people sharing traditional systems and values, thereby linking tangible and intangible heritage for sustainable outcomes.
Understanding the Traditional and Contemporary Purpose of the Njelele Rainmaking Shrine through the Oral Testimonies of Local People in Matobo
Local oral testimonies reveal the Njelele shrine's enduring spiritual significance, serving as a site for rainmaking rituals, societal forgiveness, and disease cures. The shrine, located in Zimbabwe's Matobo Hills (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), was also consulted during the liberation struggle and remains relevant to war veterans today. However, its mystical voice, once believed to emanate from the rocks, is said to have vanished due to disrespect for the area. This study highlights the diverse values attached to the site by different interest groups, providing insight into its traditional and contemporary purposes.
Descola’s Model Of Religion and Nature Examined
A re-evaluation of Philippe Descola’s ontological framework reveals that his concepts of incarnation and figuration, rather than the proposed fourfold scheme, better explain religious practices and human-environment relationships. This insight emerges from a detailed ethnographic study of the Mwali cult in Matobo Hills, Zimbabweconducted through prolonged participant observation and interviews. The research challenges Descola’s model by demonstrating that incarnation and figuration more effectively capture the nuanced ways in which religious forms shape human engagement with nature.
The Rock Art of the Matobo Hills World Heritage Area, Zimbabwe: Management and Use, c 1800 to 2016
A century of research and conservation efforts on the rock art sites of Matobo Hills, Zimbabwe, reveals significant challenges and opportunities for their preservation. The study highlights that despite extensive documentation and management by individuals, government agencies, and organizations, economic instability and land reform in Zimbabwe have negatively impacted the appreciation and protection of these heritage sites. The paper suggests potential improvements in management strategies to better safeguard this invaluable cultural resource for future generations.
Canopy architecture and PAR absorption of Euphorbia cooperi in the Matobo Hills, Zimbabwe
Euphorbia cooperi, a tree-like succulent found in the Matobo Hills of Zimbabwe, exhibits a unique canopy architecture that optimizes photosynthetic surface area while minimizing water loss. This candelabra growth form allows the plant to expand its branch surface area as it matures, enhancing photosynthesis without significantly increasing transpirational water loss due to its heavily suberized trunk and concave branch morphology. Simulations suggest that while a square cross-sectional morphology maintains a stable surface-to-volume ratio with minimal photosynthetic benefit, deep concave flutes maximize surface area but may increase drought sensitivity. This study highlights the adaptive advantages of E. cooperi's structure in arid environments.
Analysing land cover and land use change in the Matobo National Park and surroundings in Zimbabwe
A study analyzing land cover and use changes in Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe, reveals that while the park's composition remained stable from 1989 to 2014, surrounding areas experienced significant shifts. Forest coverage increased by approximately 7% outside the park, particularly on common lands, where agricultural areas decreased due to the Fast Track Land Reform of the early 2000s. The research used Landsat images and supervised classification with Random Forests, supplemented by recent observations and change detection, to identify four land cover classes: shrubland, forest, patchy vegetation, and agricultural areas. This approach demonstrates that combining recent data with change detection can effectively study the temporal dynamics of protected areas.
Empty Promises and False Hopes
Matobo Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Zimbabwe, has become a contested cultural landscape due to unfulfilled promises of equitable management and benefit-sharing for local communities. The study reveals that colonial-era laws, which sidelined indigenous practices, persist despite post-independence reforms, leaving Matobo's heritage governance unresolved. Traditional management methods, once enforced by local leaders, were replaced by Eurocentric policies during colonization, leading to resistance and eventually the liberation war (1972–1980). Though independence in 1980 offered hope for redress, three decades later, grievances remain unaddressed, deepening tensions. The research combines historical analysis with ethnographic data to expose the disconnect between heritage policy and community needs.
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