Academics elated at launch of book on heritage

SUCCESS: Cover image of the book launched yesterday.

SUCCESS: Cover image of the book launched yesterday.

Published May 7, 2015

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Siyavuya Mzantsi

A NEW African edition of The Politics of Heritage in Africa was launched at Clarke’s Book shop in the city last night.

The book, titled The Politics of Heritage in Africa: Economies, Histories and Infrastructures, was edited by the director of the African Programme in Museum and Heritage Studies at UWC, Professor Ciraj Rassool, the associate professor of archaeology and heritage studies at the University of Ghana, Kodzo Gavua, and senior researcher on Centre for Law and Society at UCT Mbongiseni Buthelezi.

Gavua told guests at the launch that the book will help those in archaeology to begin thinking on issues bordering on heritage.

He said the book would also help in understanding “this animal we call heritage” and how it was constructed, and to what purpose.

“Our collaboration with Michigan (US) catalysed our work because it actually provided clear understanding of issues around heritage in our countries. In spite of our efforts, we still have challenges in our country. Important historic sites are being bulldozed and transformed with an explanation that we need development,” he said.

“We are to celebrate the emergence of this book that came out in hardcover from New York. In this project, we had worked as UWC, Wits University, Rhodes University, Fort Hare, UCT, together with the University of Ghana and the University of Michigan.”

The project emerges from an initiative called the African Heritage Initiative.

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