Collections, local interactions, conservation and tourism aspects of monastic heritage sites in the Lake Tana region of Ethiopia: the case of Mandeba Medahinealem Monastery
Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development
ISSN: 2044-1266
Article publication date: 15 March 2021
Issue publication date: 21 June 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Along with the varied values of heritages which are rationale for their safeguarding, sustainable conservation and tourism development have become central agendas in the field of heritage management in contemporary world. This study attempts to elaborate such interconnected issues at Mandeba Monastery, emphasizing not only cultural heritages but also mutually reflecting on natural features which are integral part of the monastery.
Design/methodology/approach
Interviewing and systematic observation alongside secondary sources were used to generate data which were analyzed thematically.
Findings
Being a site for incredible collections, Mandeba maintained a tradition of not only heritage conservation and benevolent communal interaction but also of ecological sustainability. The rich collections together with its spectacular location on the shore of Lake Tana enable Mandeba to have highly noticeable tourism potentials. However, Mandeba encounters such challenges as inadequate museum, safety and security problems, lack of sufficient budget, professional, parasitic animal damages, weak promotion and lack of tourist facilities which hamper both conservation and tourism development on the site, which need to be tackled for the overall improvement of the monastery.
Originality/value
This research is original, presenting the ground knowledge and practice regarding the relationship between heritage conservation on the one hand, and local livelihood, environmental management and tourism sustainability on the other hand, with regard to the immovable cultural/religious heritage site of Mandeba Medahinealem Monastery.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Faculty of Social Sciences of Bahir Dar University for financing this research through its mega research project plan. They are grateful to Yeshiwas Desalegn and Addisu Zeleke for their priceless support in the course of the data collection. The authors are also thankful to West Dembiya district culture, tourism and government communication office and to the experts working in the office (Shibabaw Gashaw, Tigabu Ajaw and Ephrem Legesse) who supported them in the process of data collection. They are also indebted to all of the informants in and around Mandeba Monastery for their genuine and invaluable data.
Citation
Genet, A. and Kebede, M. (2022), "Collections, local interactions, conservation and tourism aspects of monastic heritage sites in the Lake Tana region of Ethiopia: the case of Mandeba Medahinealem Monastery", Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 237-249. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCHMSD-02-2020-0026
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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