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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
THE National Museums and Monuments is working to revive and preserve rock art sites in the country which have been neglected over the years.
Addressing community leaders recently during a conservation plan workshop held at Silozwi Primary School in Ward 16 in Matobo District, National Museums and Monuments heritage manager for the Western Region, Ms Senzeni Khumalo said there are more than 3 000 rock art sites in Matobo and efforts are underway to revive them as viable heritage monuments.
She said workshops are being conducted in communities to come up with conservation plans that would protect rock art sites.
“We are carrying out a programme called ‘the World Monuments Watch programme’. We are saying we have a number of rock arts sites which have been recognised as heritage sites or monuments but they have been neglected over the years and as a result they have dilapidated. In Matobo we have more than 3 000 rock art sites in our database although we have not visited all of them,” said Ms Khumalo.
“Some of these sites are now in bad condition as they have been neglected and tampered with. Some have arts paintings which are wearing out. We are therefore engaging communities around these areas to find out how best to conserve and preserve these sites as they are of significant importance to our heritage and culture.”
Ms Khumalo told community leaders from Silozwane area that they had to come up with measures to ensure that Silozwane Cave in their area is restored and preserved.
She urged community members to come up with projects to attract tourists to the cave such as a cultural village.
Speaking during the workshop community leaders said there is a need for someone to be appointed to guard the cave against vandalism. They said there was once a fence that secured the heritage site and a guard who kept watch over the area.
“We want the area to be protected and cutting of trees should be prohibited. When tourists visit the area they should pay a certain amount so that the community benefits. That place is a historical site and is of great significance to us as a community. It’s a sacred place but people are now abusing it and they are going there and leaving as they please. Some people are engaging in immoral activities in that place. We want to go back to the traditional methods that were used to preserve that place,” said a community leader.—@DubeMatutu
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