Description: In a fascinating series of cases from West Africa, anthropologists, archaeologists and art historians show how memory, heritage, identity and conservation play out in a variety of postcolonial contexts at the local, ethnic, national and global level .
Review Quotes:
"These chapters [case studies] explore the meaning, ownership, control and politics of tradition, memory and heritage especially 'intangible heritage' as codified by Unesco. The different approaches and interests of Unesco, national governments, nascent tourist industries and local people of different ethnicities and generations are all teased out and examined...it is worth pondering the complex and fascinating questions raised by this study." --Terry Barringer, African Research & Documentation