Empty Promises and False Hopes

Matobo Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Zimbabwe, has become a contested cultural landscape due to unfulfilled promises of equitable management and benefit-sharing for local communities. The study reveals that colonial-era laws, which sidelined indigenous practices, persist despite post-independence reforms, leaving Matobo's heritage governance unresolved. Traditional management methods, once enforced by local leaders, were replaced by Eurocentric policies during colonization, leading to resistance and eventually the liberation war (1972–1980). Though independence in 1980 offered hope for redress, three decades later, grievances remain unaddressed, deepening tensions. The research combines historical analysis with ethnographic data to expose the disconnect between heritage policy and community needs.

Makuvaza, S., & Makuvaza, V. (2012). Empty Promises and False Hopes. Heritage & Society, 5(1), 9–34. https://doi.org/10.1179/hso.2012.5.1.9