The Heritage Management we Want for Africa

Managing heritage in Africa is fraught with a number of hurdles, and the challenge is how to overcome them. The challenges are evidenced by the few sites on the World Heritage List and the large number on the Danger List. The chapter outlines some of the issues leading to these anomalies in the heritage of Africa. The cultural diversity and histories militate against a uniform approach. Heritage should be considered as part and parcel of community development and not as some exotic science that has very little to do with the ground. The paper argues for the inclusivity of local/indigenous communities in heritage management. Their values need to be considered in the nomination process for the continent to overcome the current issues.