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Department of Archaeology

 

The Community Heritage and Education for Sustainable Development in Tanzania project is a continuation of some of the activities initiated by the AHRC-funded Co-production Networks for Community Heritage in Tanzania (CONCH) project (https://www.conchproject.org/), that ran in 2018 and 2019. This aimed to identify how heritage protection, conservation and interpretation contribute to sustainable development. Activities in 2018 focused around Pangani, a small coastal town in north-east Tanzania that rose to prominence in the nineteenth century as a major hub in the caravan trade and is well known for its concentration of late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century historic buildings, now mostly in a state of disrepair. Building on the significant accomplishments of a local NGO, Uzikwasa, to promote the conservation of this built heritage and encourage wider community engagement in its protection, the CONCH project in collaboration with academic partners at the University of Dar es Salaam and Uzikwasa aimed to enhance local skills and capacity in the documentation and interpretation of Pangani’s heritage. As part of this preliminary work a major need, expressed by local schools, was identified for materials and training that could enable teachers to promote wider awareness of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Pangani. The teachers expressed the desire that these teaching materials should also enhance basic skills in the Three Rs and communicate principles of sustainable development.

Tanzania's Development Vision 2025 proposes ‘a well-educated and learning society’, while the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty identifies education as a key target area. Currently, however, schools in coastal areas like Pangani face major constraints, especially a shortage of teaching and learning materials that communicate principles of sustainable development. To address these needs, the current project is working with Archaeolink (Cambridge) and the Faculty of Education, University of Dar es Salaam to design and provide appropriate teaching resources for primary and secondary schools in Pangani; initiate new research on using heritage to promote ideals of sustainable development and participatory democracy, and enhance the skills of local teachers in these fields. The project is also developing teacher's guides and providing training in the use of these resources to primary and secondary school teachers in Pangani, and student teachers from the Faculty of Education, University of Dar es Salaam. 

Funding: University of Cambridge Arts and Humanities Impact Fund; University of Cambridge Global Challenges Research Fund, 2019-21 (Covid-19 extension)

External Partners:

  • Patricia Hart and Sarah Fox Archaeolink Cambridge
  • Professor George Kahangwa, Faculty of Education, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Dr Elinaza Mjema, Department of Archaeology & Heritage Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Dr Noel Lwoga, National Museum, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Project Website (link1 link2)
Image: Nineteenth century residential building, India Street, Pangani, Tanzania. Photo: P. Lane.

Funder

University of Cambridge Arts and Humanities Impact Fund

University of Cambridge Global Challenges Research Fund

Project Lead

Project Tags

Periods of interest: 
Other Historical
Geographical areas: 
Africa
Research Expertise / Fields of study: 
Built Environment
Heritage Management
Cultural Heritage
Subjects: 
Archaeology
Heritage Studies
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