Conservation and preservation of immovable archaeological heritage at Gede ruins and Shimoni historic site along the Kenyan coast

Abstract

The management of immovable archaeological heritage at Shimoni historic site and Gede ruins along the Kenyan coast were the focus of the study. Achieving the cultural, scientific, economic, and historical values of immovable archaeological heritage requires the use of efficient conservation and preservation management techniques. The acceptance and implementation of current international treaties to ensure the validity and originality of these heritages and to extract the values from them is critical based on imminent threats, whether natural or human induced. Therefore, effective management that involves conservation and preservation takes the centre stage. In retrospect, to slow down the process of heritage degradation and decay, management strategies, national and local government commitment, local community knowledge, and sustainable utilization are crucial. However, the process of actualizing the goal of conservation and preservation is facing myriad challenges and threats that continue to devalue the immovable heritage, warranting steadfast intervention. Hence, this study investigated and evaluated the process of setting up laws, regulations, and statutes, putting them into practice and applying them to mitigate threats to immovable archaeological heritage, specifically those along the Kenyan coast. The presumption was that the country's archaeological heritage must be skillfully handled because it is integral to its cultural history. The three research objectives were to: establish the status and level of various uses of the immovable archaeological heritage at Gede and Shimoni sites; assess the level of compliance of the current management models at Shimoni and Gede for their conservation and preservation with the set International Conventions, State laws and Statutes; and to examine mitigation measures against the threats facing the immovable heritage at Gede and Shimoni historical site for their sustainable utilization. By applying a SWOT analysis model and McGregor’s motivational theories X and Y, which were both developed in the 1950s and have remained relevant to date, the researcher sought to understand the current status of the two sites and account for how they are managed through the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) and the Community Based Organization respectively. The two sites were sampled purposively based on the models applied in their everyday management as juxtaposed on sustainable utilization. Interpretative research design and the phenomenological approach was applied while carrying out this study. Through in-depth interviews with key informants, on-site situational analysis, direct observation, qualitative data was collected. The data was analyzed thematically and organized into categories, patterns, themes and sub-themes in line with specific objectives. Corroboration of primary and secondary data was done alongside textual analysis to draw conclusions for the study and also to make recommendations. The study's situational analysis showed that immovable archaeological heritage along the coast has values which determine their utilization. Also, the immovable heritage is under threat from environmental and natural factors, human induced development and those resulting from heritage usage. As per the study findings, Kenya has had laws governing archaeological heritage management since 1927. Accordingly, the NMK was established in 1930 and has the sole mandate of managing all archaeological heritage in the country. Despite this institutional and legal foundations, threats to the heritage still abound. A great disconnect was found to exist between the international conventions and national laws as applied through NMK and the local communities’ claims over usage of the immovable heritage. Therefore, heritage management should take a holistic approach and involve the community around it more since people have a specific connection to heritage sites either individually or collectively.