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Accepted Paper:
Paper short abstract:
The study examines the commodification of the tangible cultural heritage of Konso society, the Waaka, into commodities, resulting in a change in its sociocultural significance. It also investigates how commodification is perceived by local people and how it shapes landscape conservation.
Paper long abstract:
In 2011, the Konso Cultural Landscape received prestigious recognition for being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, acknowledging its outstanding universal value. This designation has resulted in the widespread popularization of the landscape. Nonetheless, the Konso people take pride in their culture due to inscription, the interplay of various factors poses significant risks to the authenticity of the landscape. One of these factors is the rise in mass tourism and the subsequent commodification of cultural heritage, particularly Waaka (a wooden sculpture of heroes) in response to the demands of the tourism market. This study is conceptually informed by the perspectives of political economy, critical heritage studies, and cultural commodification. The study employed a qualitative approach and ethnographic methodology over an extended period of 2023, which involved observations, qualitative interviews, and discussions with local and cultural leaders. Specifically, the aim was to investigate how commodification is perceived among local people and how it shapes landscape conservation. The study shows that Waakas have been increasingly looted, commercialized, and traded by local, and national actors and international tourists. This study notes that the changes observed about the Waakas have led to the deterioration of the authenticity of the heritage. Elderly people perceive commodification as destructive, while youth who are largely engaged in such businesses welcome commodification as a basis for improving their livelihoods. This study showed that the commodification of the Waakas in Konso is inseparable from the rise of mass tourism and its economic impact, often disregarding the sociocultural importance and authenticity.
Africa’s Emerging Frontiers of Resource Extraction
Session 2 Wednesday 2 October, 2024, -