Understanding that heritage is more than tangible places and sites it is about values, knowledge systems and cultural diversity.
Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects. It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants. In Australia many of our significant sites have meanings stories and values associated with them that go beyond the physicality of the site. Members of our team, work with communities to understand and document the intangible values of sites to ensure that these values are respected in the management of the sites.
Members of our team also work internationally with the UNESCO 2003 Convention on the Safeguarding of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (not yet ratified in Australia). Intangible cultural heritage is a fragile but important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization. Maintaining that diversity is an important factor in encouraging intercultural dialogue, and mutual respect for other ways of life.
Cultural values mapping is one way that such values may be documented and understood. For over a decade our team has been developing community- based project methodologies, working with communities to assist them to articulate cultural values so that they may be considered in a range of planning, development and interpretation projects.
Our services include:
- Cultural values mapping
- Documentation of knowledge systems
- Ethnographic studies
- Environmental and social anthropology