Paper long abstract:

Author: Karega Munene

This paper explores trends concerning the treatment of tangible and intangible heritage by the civil society, individuals and small community-based organisations in Kenya. Together, these have been reclaiming the past that they feel has been forgotten by historians, the National Museums of Kenya which is the legally recognised custodian of Kenya’s cultural and natural heritage. In the recent past, the efforts culminated in the recognition of Kenyans’ legal entitlement to living cultures and to cultural pasts as fundamental human rights. These latter were enunciated in the Draft Constitution that was rejected in a national referendum in November 2005. That the commission working on the Draft Constitution allocated a whole chapter to cultural matters which were not deemed controversial during the referendum, strongly suggests the chapter is likely to remain unaltered and to form part of the new constitution promised by the current coalition government. Further impetus to such a development is increasingly being provided by celebrations of local heroes and heroines at the village level, without the involvement of professional historians or the National Museums of Kenya. In order to attract wide audiences, the celebrations are increasingly functioning as cultural festivals showcasing traditional foodstuffs, dress and story-telling.