Eleventh International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

Intangible heritage in South Africa includes life stories of social and cultural legacy among the main recurrent items collected by museums. These “moments of life” are cultural tradition, oral history, ritual and social relationships and all are collected, researched, recording, archived, and put on exhibition. They retrace the various trajectories of communities, convey the special knowledge carried by them, and provide the basis on which their social and cultural heritage is being shaped. This paper posits that by collecting and curating the life stories of various societies museums are gradually transforming into intangible heritage collectors. In my view, this will not only impact the sustainability of heritage but also transform museums into an important role of promoting cultural diversity as well as an active agent of social cohesion and reconciliation. Museums have an important responsibility to play by embracing the task to improve the living conditions of South Africans. Museums should therefore reclaim, restore, and conserve various aspects of South Africa`s diverse cultures in order to address challenges communities are facing today. Museums must not only document intangible cultural heritage, but also engage in its preservation and transmission by working closely and cooperatively with the relevant communities as peace makers in South Africa.