The Philosophical Dilemma of Conserving the African Heritage: A Case Study of the Treatment of the Kondoa Rock Art World Heritage Site in Tanzania

The Western conservation philosophy has become dominant among practitioners, thereby posing a dilemma in the treatment of African heritage. This article explores the traditional conservation principles and the dilemma they pose to the modern practitioners, using a case study of the Kondoa Rock Art World Heritage Site in Tanzania. Community engagement methods including in-depth interviews with 25 residents and 12 focus group discussions, and non-participant observation revealed that rock art is appreciated by residents as an active cultural construct, reflecting their connectivity with the past, identity, and future expectations. The residents employ the conservation system that is built on the principles of intangibility, change, and continuity. However, the dilemma still prevails with modern conservation principles of materiality, permanency, and durability of rock art, and aesthetics and artistic values. The study argues for an integrated approach, mixing modern and traditional conservation tenets, and for the significance of community engagement methods.