Maritime Archaeology Development Project South Africa

Since 2007, CIE and its South African counterpart the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) have been developing a MUCH program in South Africa. The final set-up was presented in April 2009 at the SADC workshop on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage in Cape Town, organized by UNESCO and the South Africa Department for Arts and Culture.

On the 16 October 2009 an official launch of the South African MUCH Program was implemented by the South African Minister for Arts and Culture, Lulu Xingwana and the Ambassador for the Netherlands to South Africa, Mr Rob de Vos. The Netherlands involvement came about through their funding contribution to the program through the Netherlands Culture and Development Program. The involvement of CIE, which has been formalised in two Memorandum of Understanding’s (MoU) with SAHRA, was in assisting SAHRA with the development of their MUCH program and in the training of staff from a number of South African stakeholders. Essentially this meant building up the capacity of a ‘Competent Authority’ as required under the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage 2001 and developing a program that is consistent with the principles and practices (the ‘Rules’) of the UNESCO Convention. The involvement of the CIE in this advisory/training role is for at least the next two years. USE Figure with Robert et al. and Ice shipwreck, already on website—not attached

The MUCH Development Project funded by the Netherlands seeks to develop capacity in the field of maritime and underwater cultural heritage with special focus on geophysical and non-disturbance surveys, building-up a database of these sites and the associated intangible heritage, conservation, and community programs, such as engagement, awareness and education programs. The project will primarily target institutional employees but will extend to volunteer groups and interested individuals and finally to students from secondary school through to university level. 

Activities

From 15 February to 10 March 2010, a series of workshops on many aspects associated with maritime and underwater cultural heritage was conducted on Robben Island, Cape Town, during which time representatives from Namibia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya, South Africa, UNESCO, and the African World Heritage Fund attended. Regional cooperation, and information sharing, amongst other things were discussed and a series of resolutions made in furthering many of these issues and activities. The workshops also included parts of the NAS theoretical and practical training program being implemented to a number of participants, particularly those from South African stakeholders other than SAHRA staff. One of the aims of the practical workshops was to build-up a database of the Robben Island MUCH sites (on land and underwater). Robben Island and it surrounding waters contain in excess of 100 sites (many with poor provenance and lacking documentation) and the outcomes of the practical work will assist the Robben Island Museum commence the documentation of this component of its cultural landscape.

A subsequent outcome of the Robben Island workshops was the development of an African World heritage Fund (AWHF) application which was submitted by the five countries listed above. The application sought funding over a five-year period for a project to build-up the capacity to implement MUCH activities in support of ratifying the Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage 2001. It has been planned to conduct the MUCH activities and capacity building in association with the World Heritage Sites located throughout the region where there is an obvious connection to maritime activities and therefore maritime and underwater cultural heritage sites, such as at Zanzibar, Kilwa (Tanzania), Island of Mozambique (Mozambique), Old Lamu Town, and Fort Jesus Monument and Mombasa Old Town (Kenya) and Robben Island (South Africa).

SAHRA in South Africa will be the main administrative base for the AWHF project, driven from the Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit. This is based on the fact that the participants of the Robben Island workshops mandated SAHRA to facilitate the development of this funding proposal and play a regional role of facilitating training in the region with the support of the Centre for International Heritage Activities (CIE). 

Launch Maritime Archaeology Development Programme South Africa, Oct  16th 2009
The Maritime Archaeology Development Programme is officially launched on the 16th of October 2009 in Cape Town at a function hosted by South Africa’s Minister of Arts and Culture, Ms Lulama  Xingwana. A special two days youth educational awareness programme, which is designed to interest youths from diverse backgrounds of South Africa in maritime archaeology, accompanied the launch (a.o. on Robben Island, Oct 15th & 16th).

For thousands of years, southern African communities have made a  living from the sea and have their cultural roots in the sea. As we  explore the heritage themes of South Africa and the African  continent we are beginning to appreciate the richness and diversity  of underwater cultural heritage and that it is significant not just  to the descendants of the people sailing ships around the coast,  but to all South Africans and to the African continent.  It is only  recently that this vast history has begun to be explored.

Despite South Africa’s diverse and important maritime history and  its unique archaeological record, the discipline of maritime  archaeology and associated fields has been underdeveloped. Through  the efforts of heritage managers and concerned individuals, the  value of South Africa’s Underwater Cultural Heritage isbeingrecognised.

With this in mind, the South African Heritage Resources Agency  (SAHRA) and the Centre for International Heritage Activities (CIE)  began a process of proposing a broad Maritime Archaeology  Development Programme. This programme seeks to develop capacity in  all spheres of underwater cultural heritage management through  training, the development of educational programmes and the  creation of “coastal networks” that will be involved in protecting  underwater cultural heritage sites. It will primarily target 

institutional employees but will extend to volunteer groups and  interested individuals and finally to students from school to  university levels. The programme will also develop co-operative  management of shared cultural heritage between the Netherlands and  South Africa.

The programme is divided into three phases: phase I will be a  comprehensive assessment of the capacity and infrastructure that  exists in South Africa.  Phase II of the project will implement  training programmes aimed at specific needs identified during the first phase. Phase III of the project concentrates on development  and sustainability. SAHRA and CIE will develop a structure for  programmes from school to university level. Courses such as those administered through the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS) will be used to train recreational divers and resource users and to further  expand networks whose members can monitor wrecks and participate in  archaeological excavation.

Further reading on Maritime Archaeology Development Programme South Africa.